


When You Wish Upon A Star...You Get Screwed

by LadyMoonScar



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-23
Updated: 2015-08-23
Packaged: 2018-04-16 22:07:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 22
Words: 32,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4641909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyMoonScar/pseuds/LadyMoonScar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After wishing upon a shooting star during a blue moon, Nicolette Meadows finds herself in Middle-Earth. Just what every girl wants; non-stop travel, evil Dark Lords, filthy Orcs and one hot Ranger.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. When You Wish Upon a Star

What had I done to deserve this? I was a good girl, at least as good as any college student could be. Yeah, I drank before I was twenty-one, but seriously, who hasn't? Okay, so maybe I lost my virginity at sixteen, but my friend, Cynthia, lost hers at fourteen.

But who deserved this?

Waking up one morning in a strange bed?

And I'm not talking 'oh, my god, I slept with the new kid' strange bed, but a bed that was seriously not supposed to exist in in the 21st century unless you were an antiques' dealer or a loser. Usually, those go together, huh? But this bed was…a work of art. Like, it had been hand-crafted out of wood.

I should start at the beginning.

 

I walked into my grandparent's old barn where my temporary room was. Gran and Poppy lived in the wilds of Montana on their horse ranch. They kept their stables and barn in better repair than their house. The eight horses, three chickens, rooster, pig and cow were happy, but I wasn't entirely pleased with sleeping on a bale of hay every night.

After a year of living with my crazy, match-making Aunt Lillian while attending the local community college, I decided that I needed to get out of my aunt's house. Gran and Poppy were happy to take me in, but they had somehow forgotten that I needed a decent room for me to sleep in. I could have slept on the couch in front of the TV, but when I was little I had found a dead rat underneath the thing and ever since had avoided it with a fiery passion.

I tossed my school bag onto the makeshift desk and a black lump underneath hissed softly. "Aw, Grimm," I cooed. "I'm sorry, darlin'. I didn't see you."

Grimm, my cat, had the grace not to jump onto me until I had sat down on my hay bed. His black and grey fur was sleek and shiny and his yellow eyes gleamed up at me in reproach. "Yeah, yeah," I sighed, lying down. "I know I'm late. I had to pull an extra shift at Lucca's."

Ugh, playing hostess. Possibly the most dullest job known to man. Lucca's was the best Italian restaurant in Helena and, while the staff was friendly to everyone, they were not friendly to the new girl; me. Which was typical for me.

Grimm noted my foul mood and purred forgivingly, rubbing his head against my chin. I sighed and cuddled with him. Sad, but this cat was seriously the only man in my life. Sometimes I didn't let that get in the way; I liked being a single, straight-A student. Sometimes I wished I could cuddle with a guy who didn't have fur or purred. Okay, that last would only be an exception if he purred when we did it, but I digress.

I sighed again and checked my watch. Eleven-thirty at night and I was too tired to sleep or do my homework. I would regret that tomorrow. Ah, well. Perhaps a walk would set me straight. I grabbed my flashlight and walked out of the barn. Grimm meowed and followed after me. I walked thru the stables, careful not to disturb the horses too much, a then out to the little wood that grew beyond the ranch.

 

The moon was blue.

I plunked myself down on the grass in a small clearing and stared up at it. "Strange things happen under a blue moon," I murmured as Grimm settled down in my lap. I stroked him absent-mindedly, trying to remember what hype the Astronomy department at school had said about a blue moon. But either I had been really into my studies to listen to the gossip- a guilty pleasure- or there wasn't any knowledge of this phenomenon.

"Should've brought my camera, baby," I said to Grimm, tracing one of his large, grey spots. "I'd be the hero of the entire Astronomy department. Maybe I could get a date with Patrick Yew."

Yum, Patrick-dating… The hottest guy at college also happened to see nothing but the stars and planets. But if it gave me some adventure in my life, I would take it. I would do anything for a chance to change my life.

A shooting star shot across the blue moon. Oh, boy, but I was desperate and this was too good an opportunity to pass up.

"Starlight, star bright," I chanted. "First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might have the wish I make tonight. I wish for a chance to change my future!"

Nothing.

Sigh.

"Come on, baby," I said to Grimm, getting up and draping him over my shoulders like a scarf. "Let's get to bed."

I took one step before a blinding flash of blue light erupted in front of my eyes and then everything dissolved into blackness.


	2. Imladris

That was when I woke up in the strange bed, warm sunlight filtering thru an open window beating down on me. I blinked and looked around. I was in a strange room, in a strange bed, covered by strange bed sheets. And I had one helluva headache! The only thing that kept me from screaming in a panic was the sight of Grimm curled up by my waist.

"Grimm," I whispered, pulling him onto my chest. He grumbled a bit, then started purring thunderously and rubbed his face against mine. "Baby, where are we?" Not that I expected an answer. I sat up gingerly, feeling very stiff, and froze. I dared a peek under the sheets and flushed. I was in nothing but my underwear; bright red and lacey matching bra and panties. I'd worn them just for the Hell of it. Now I was about to scream in a panic.

"Grimm," I hissed. "Where are my clothes?"

He squirmed out of my grip and bounded over to a hand-carved wooden chair where a light green pile waited for me. Pulling the bed sheet with me, I got up and crossed over to the chair and picked up the green. It was a dress. A really pretty dress; one that you would find in Lord of the Rings. As that thought crossed my mind, my brain came up with a solution that was so stupid, so ridicules that…

I spun on my heel and crossed over to the open window- which was really just an open wall that led out onto a trellis- and my breath left me. I was so not in Montana anymore.

"R-Rivendell," I gasped. "I'm in friggin' Rivendell."

There was no friggin' way! Absolutely no way this was possible! Try again Nicolette, you stupid, nerdy girl! Grimm meowed and jumped onto the bed, curling his tail perfectly over his paws. I stared at him, wishing this was a dream that I would wake up from… Oh, dear God. I had wished on a shooting star during a blue moon!

"Smooth, Nikki," I cursed myself. "Real, friggin' smooth!" I walked back to the dress and it up. It was more than pretty; it was unbelievably beautiful! The bodice and underskirt was a mint green while the angel sleeves and over skirt were light sea foam green and the belt, lacings and pointed sleeve were a silver grey. I whistled. "Damn. This is so not my life." I had asked for a future-changer, not a life-changer.

I heard voices outside the bedroom door and froze. Grimm leapt down in front of me, his neck fur bristling. The door opened and a man and woman walked in. They stopped when they saw me. I must have look so ridicules in nothing but a bed sheet and my sexy underwear. Then I saw the ears. The pointed ears.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," I forced out, backing up. "There is no way, no friggin' way that I am in Elf Land."

The man- male Elf?- raised an eyebrow. "You are in Rivendell, lady. I am Elrond and this is my daughter, Arwen."

I took a moment to process this. Yeah…this guy looked similar to Hugo Weaving in the movies, but this chick was no Liv Tyler. She was more of a Penelope Cruz.

Grimm hissed at the Elves and growled warningly. Elrond smiled at him and knelt down, extending his hand as if to a dog. Grimm paused and narrowed his eyes. After a few heartbeats, he sneezed and started rubbing himself against my legs.

Arwen pointed at the dress in my hand. "Do you require assistance? The garb we found you in was…strange."

Like she was one to talk. "Uh, it's very beautiful," I said. "But I'd like my own clothes, if you don't mind."

"They are being washed," Elrond replied. "We found you in a travel-stained state. Were you attacked?"

"Uh, I only remember a bright light, then I woke up here just now," I said. "How-how long ago did you find me?"

"A scout found you a few hours ago," Elrond said. "And your cat."

Grimm meowed and swatted playfully at the dangling sleeve of the dress. "Stop it," I whispered to him, pulling the dress out of his reach. To Arwen, I said, "I guess I do need help."

She smiled sweetly and Elrond stood outside the door while she helped me change. The bodice was 'V' shaped and sparkled like some kind of metal was woven in with the cloth. The dress proved to be an excellent thing for my curves- something that I tried to hide back home- and pushing up my breasts slightly. When Arwen had finished with the lacing, I looked in a polished glass and felt like Cinderella. My russet hair hung around me, falling unhindered to my waist. I usually had it in a ponytail or braid, so it was a little strange seeing it loose like this. My silver eyes were wide in admiration and confusion.

Arwen took me outside and, with her father, took me on the Grand Tour. Grimm padded next to me, taking in the sights with the same wide eyes I had. Boy, oh boy, I was in Rivendell! The place I had only read about and seen in the movies was suddenly right in front of me!

But why was I here?

 

After spending two days in Rivendell, Arwen left suddenly, dressed in a traveling tunic and a sword at her side. "The Ringwraiths are about," she said when I asked what was going on. "There are travelers seeking refuge here and I must find them."

I nodded. "Good luck."

That night I sat curled up with Grimm, looking out at the great haven. There was a knocking at my door and I opened it just enough to peek out. It was Elrond.

"Something has happened," he said tersely. "Please come with me."

I followed him out, Grimm still in my arms, and into what looked like a study. An old man in a grey robe sat before the fireplace, smoking a pipe. Grimm squirmed out of my arms and bounded onto the old man's lap. He chuckled and petted the cat. Then he raised his light blue eyes to me and he set his pipe aside.

"Nicolette," Elrond said softly, "this is Gandalf the Grey; a wizard."

Whoa. No shit?

Gandalf bowed his head. "My lady."

I waved shyly. "Hi." Wow, this guy was so Ian McKellen! Loved him; he was amazing! I sat on a wooden stool and Grimm leapt back into my lap and curled up.

"So," the Wizard said pleasantly. "You are the child from another world."

Suddenly I was twelve years old and back in the principal's office. "Um…yes, sir. I guess so." Yup, totally twelve years old.


	3. Illegal, Smexy Voice

I woke up with Grimm meowing insistently and rubbing his face against my cheek. "Dude, seriously?" I grumbled. I looked outside and burrowed deeper into my blankets. "It's freaking dawn! Go back to sleep…"

The cat hissed and that was my only warning before he nipped my nose. "Ow! Grimm!" I leapt up from the bed and he scampered to the balcony and looked down in the courtyard. I looked down and saw that Arwen had returned.

With Frodo Baggins.

I ran out of my room, pulling on a robe over my nightgown. Grimm scampered at my feet. We met Elrond and Gandalf in the courtyard. Arwen looked fine, despite the small cut on her cheek and her fly-away hair. Frodo looked absolutely terrible.

"He is fading," Arwen gasped. "Stabbed by a Nazgul."

Gandalf and Elrond caught the little Hobbit and I helped Arwen off the horse. She sagged slightly against me and I wrapped an arm around her. "Welcome home. Nice vacation?"

She smiled. "Thank you, Nicolette."

"Let's get you inside."

"So you legitlly told the Nazgul to bugger off?" I laughed. "Girl, that is so cool!"

Arwen smiled as we ate. She was dressed in a white gown, the Evenstar glowing at her neck and her hair tamed almost to a fault. I was dressed in a soft rose gown with my hair pulled into twin ponytails.

"I would hardly say such a thing, Nikki," she said. "But, once again, you have summarized correctly."

I shrugged. "It's a gift."

Elrond walked in, looking slightly drained. "It is done," he sighed.

Arwen got up and hurried to help her father into a chair. I poured him a glass of wine while Grimm rubbed against his legs. Elrond smiled. "Do not fret. I am well."

"The paleness of your face says otherwise," I said, gently forcing the glass into his hand. "Drink, dude, you'll feel better."

The Elf Lord sighed and drank. Arwen smiled at me over his head and I gave her a small wink. "How is he?" I asked.

"He will live," Elrond replied. "But the wound will never fully heal."

Yeah, I guess getting stabbed by a freaky ghost-thingy related to a dementor would do that to a person. Or Hobbit. Whatever.

"And Gandalf?"

"He is keeping watch."

 

I snuck down the hall with Grimm on my shoulders. The door was open and I could see Gandalf reclining in a chair, his gaze fixed on the wall. Frodo was asleep on the fluffy white bed. I stepped inside and smiled at Gandalf.

He didn't move.

Remembering that the Wizard slept with his eyes open, I waved my hand in front of his nose. Nothing. Out like a light. Grimm dropped to cuddle against Frodo's side and I knelt down on the floor beside the bed.

Yeah, so looked like Elijah Wood. If a bit fatter.

 

That night, I stood with Gandalf that the entrance of Imladris. I wore a cloak with the hood up- I guess it was the style? Grimm was watching over Frodo with Elrond.

There was a small disturbance at the end of the path and then a tall figure appeared out of the darkness, three smaller ones behind him.

"Gandalf!" The three Hobbits ran at the Wizard and started demanding answers of him about Frodo and the Prancing Pony.

"Hush now," Gandalf soothed. "Frodo is being healed as we speak. Come now; you three must be tired. Nicolette will show you to your rooms."

"We want to see Frodo first!" the stoutest one protested firmly. This was undoubtedly Sam.

I smiled. "I will take you to him in the morning. Now it is too late for any visitors."

Sam and the other two eyed me. "Are you an Elf, miss?"

I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. "No, I am no Elf." I gestured towards Rivendell and the Hobbits followed me. I glanced at Aragorn. "Will you be needing a room?"

"I must speak with Gandalf for a moment," he replied in a soft voice.

I dipped my head and turned away.

"Look at this place!" Sam gasped. "It's so beautiful!"

"You should see it in the sunlight," I remarked. "It can take your breath away."

The Hobbit bowed to me. "Samwise Gamgee, at your service!"

"Meriadoc Brandybuck."

"Peregrin Took."

I smiled and dipped into a prima ballerina curtsy. "Nicolette Meadows at yours." With a throaty 'mrow', Grimm leapt out of the bushes and into my arms. "And this handsome fellow is Grimm."

"I see we have more guests." Elrond walked down to us. "Welcome to Rivendell, Masters Gamgee, Brandybuck and Took. I am Elrond Half-elven."

"I was showing them to rooms," I explained.

Elrond nodded. "Thank you, Nicolette, but I will see to it personally." His sharp eyes bore into me. "I would like to see you in my study."

That sounded ominous. But I curtsied again and, waving to the Hobbits, went to his study. On the way, I took off my cloak and slung Grimm around my shoulders. He purred and rubbed his cheek against mine.

Inside Elrond's study, a fire was slowly dying and there were no candles lit. Somehow knowing that there was about to be a long talk in here, I strode over to the fire and fed it more wood. Grimm slid off my shoulders and curled up on a cushioned chair.

I stood up and started to light a few candles. I stared into the flames, pondering my predicament. "Don't know what we're gonna do, Grimm," I sighed. "Do you think we can even get back home? Or are we stuck here in Tolkien Land?" I smirked without humor. "Wouldn't be so bad if there wasn't about to be a huge war and bloody battles. I could live with Elves. Arwen's pretty nice, right?"

Grimm meowed in agreement.

I saw movement to my left and I lashed out with the back of my hand. Aragorn caught it before I could hit his face. His arm snaked around my waist to keep me from falling over.

Holy Viggo Mortenson, Batman!

"Uh…" I said. My mind went blank. Dear God, but this guy was melting my Hot Guy O-Meter. I thought only Tom Hiddleston and Benedict Cumberbatch could do that.

"I did not mean to startle you," he apologized in that wonderful soft voice.

I noticed that he was still holding me. I stepped back out of his arms and bumped into the table. "Ah! No! No, you-you didn't…startle me."

His eyebrow twitched. "Then you must go around back-handing men everywhere you go."

I blushed, but refused to be undone. "Yeah, you should've seen how Gandalf took it."

Aragorn laughed and I was a goner.

Snap out of it, girl! He's Arwen's! It's just a school girl crush!

Grimm sneezed at Aragorn and narrowed his yellow gaze. I frowned at him. "Grimm, be polite."

Aragorn smiled and extended a hand towards my cat. "Is he yours?"

Grimm ignored him and went back to napping.

I rolled my eyes. "Unfortunately. Sorry, I'm Nico…"

"Nicolette Meadows," he finished for me. "Yes, Gandalf told me."

Oh.

That was when Elrond and Gandalf arrived. "Ah good," the Wizard said. "The two of you have met."

"Not quite," Aragorn murmured. He bowed to me. "Aragorn, son of Arathorn. At your service."

Oh. Sweet. Nutella. Aragorn was actually bowing to me! Eek! I was ready to die! "Hi," I said lamely. Grimm sneezed again, this time at me. "Shut up," I told him in and undertone and scurried away from a certain hot king-to-be.

"I have sent word to all our races," Elrond said. "A council will be convened shortly to discuss the Ring of Power."

"The two of you," Gandalf added while lighting his pipe, "will figure prominently in this."

"Me?" I asked. "Him, I get. But me? I'm just a girl from Montana." Not that any of them knew where Montana was. Or the U.S of A. Or freaking North America!

Elrond exchanged a look with Gandalf before gesturing for me to sit before the fire. "You're coming here at this moment in time cannot be coincidence. You undoubtedly have a part to play in all this."

I gulped. "But what can I do? I don't know how to fight, or-or lead people. I grew up in a city and I was very privileged. Okay, I'm a pampered Disney princess; I sit in a tower and wait for the prince to come whisk me away."

"If you would prefer Orthanc or Bara-Dur, don't let us stop you," Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Off you trot!"

Aw, Gandalf made a funny.

Before I could utter a protest, Aragorn took hold of my hand and examined it with those penetrating grey eyes. A small look of triumph crossed his face. "Just as I thought."

I jerked my hand back. "What?"

"You do not have the hands of a pampered princess," he replied.

"So I'm a working girl," I shot back. "I still won't be of any use to you. Still don't know how to fight." Okay, I could hunt and probably ride a horse as good as those Rohan dudes, but…seriously?! There was no way I could pull off the hero deal!


	4. Out of the Mouths of Hobbits

The place where the Council would meet later that day was friggin' beautiful! I'd peeked in to see if it had started, but had found the place deserted. Across my shoulders, Grimm meowed. "I know," I hissed. "Just one quick peek."

Grimm grumbled and leapt off my shoulders to lead the way.

I walked onto the dais and took in the area. "Sweet Nutella, this is awesome!" I squealed. "Grimm, my fangirl is ready to burst out of me." I ran a hand across the surface of a stone pedestal in the center of the dais and suddenly this was all incredibly real to me.

And a terrible thought occurred to me.

"Grimm," I said thru numb lips. "We might never go home."

A tear escaped from my eye and started to roll down my cheek. A calloused finger caught it, brushing against my cheek. I gasped and whirled around.

A tall man with shaggy auburn hair and glittering dark eyes looked down at me. "Why do you weep, lady?"

I stiffened. "Were you watching me?" Creep. Then I took him in. Ginger, scruffy, really tall… Oh snap! "Are you Boromir?"

He straightened. "I am, yes. Do I know you?"

"No," I said quickly, backing up. "Uh, I've just…heard a lot about you."

His grey eyes looked me over. "You are no Elf."

I touched my ears. "Dang it; still human."

Boromir chuckled. "What is your name, sweet lady?"

"Nicolette," I replied with a small curtsy.

"And you are here in the Council Chambers because…?"

Who was he; the Warden? "Curiosity," I said stiffly. "Why? Am I not allowed to roam where I please?"

"Not when such places are reserved for men and the talk of war," he said pompously.

Oh. Hell. No.

I gave him a deadly smile. "You and I are not going to get along." I turned away and left. Grimm hissed at the Man and padded after me.

 

"Miss Meadows!"

I turned around and smiled dazzlingly at the four Hobbits walking towards me. "Ah, and here is Mister Baggins. Decided to join the conscious, did you?"

Frodo blushed. "How do you do? Frodo Baggins, at your service."

"Nicolette," I said. "But I think we shall be close friends, so you must call me Nikki."

"Won't you young fellows wait for an old man?" A white-haired Hobbit hobbled around the corner. He had clear blue eyes and a mischievous look about him, despite his apparent age.

111 years old.

I had finally met Bilbo Baggins.

 

"…and then Smaug reared up and shouted, 'I AM SMAUG! My armor is like tenfold shields, my teeth are sword, my claws spears, and the shock of my tail a thunderbolt!'"

I hanged onto every word coming out of Bilbo's mouth as he told his tale. I knew it by heart, but it was so different coming from the Hobbit himself. I sat on the ground, leaning on the bench that Bilbo sat on, my skirts spilling around me like a golden pool. Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin were listening while they ate.

"I was so frightened," Bilbo continued. "I thought for sure I would faint!"

"What happened next?" I asked breathlessly. Grimm meowed from my lap.

Bilbo smiled at me and patted my head. "Some other time, my dear. Now, I believe, we are at last needed."

Gandalf popped out of nowhere. "Yes, indeed. Bilbo, Frodo, Nicolette; come with me."

"Aw! It was getting exciting," I pouted as I stood up.

Gandalf just chuckled. "Oh, I think what happens in the Council will be more than exciting."

 

When we walked in, everyone else was already seated. All eyes went to Frodo. And me. I shrank behind Gandalf, totally weird-ed out by the stares. Boromir looked shocked to see me again.

"What business does a lady have at this Council?"

I sighed. "Dude, I say again; you and I are gonna have major problems."

Elrond smirked slightly. "Nicolette Meadows is my guest here. And she will be treated with respect," he added with a slight hardening of his immortal eyes. "Nicolette, this is Legolas Greenleaf of the Woodland Realm."

Not Orlando Bloom, but close enough. And very much the only blonde Elf in the room. Legolas took my hand and brushed a kiss over my knuckles. "Mae l'ovannen, Lady Nicolette."

"Oh, Nikki!" Bilbo called. "You must come meet my dear friend, Gloin!"

Whoa! "Like legitlly?"

Gloin was an old Dwarf who smiled and bowed to me. "At your service, missy."

Holy Tolkien, Batman! I curtsied to him. "So very pleased to meet you."

"My son, Gimli."

Gimli; ginger, beard, slightly taller than his dad. I was ready to die a happy fan-girl.

Gandalf chuckled. "Well, shall we get along with this meeting?"

I sat down with Frodo and Bilbo on my left and Gandalf on my right. Across from me, Aragorn gave me a small nod. I smiled slightly, fighting back a blush.

"Strangers from distant lands," Elrond began. "Friends of old. You have been summoned here to answer to the threat of Mordor. Middle-Earth stands upon a brink, this one doom." He turned to our side. "Bring forth the Ring, Frodo."

The young Hobbit got to his hairy feet and stepped forward, withdrawing the gold band from a pocket and setting it down on a little pedestal.

The Council muttered amongst themselves.

Boromir stood up. "In a dream, I saw the Eastern sky grow dark and there was a growing thunder, but in the West a pale light lingered and out I heard a voice crying: Your Doom is near at hand. Isildur's Bane shall waken." His eyes darkened as he reached out to touch the Ring. "Isildur's Bane…"

"Boromir!" warned Elrond.

Gandalf rose to his feet. "ASH NAZG DURBATULUK, ASH NAZG GIMBATUL, ASH NAZG THRAKATULUK AGH BURZUM-ISHI KRIMPATUL!"

The ground shook and a shadow passed over the sun. Grimm hissed and bolted under my chair. Frodo went pale and shrank into his seat. The shadow passed and all was still.

"Never before has anyone dared to utter words of that tongue in Imladris, Gandalf the Grey," Elrond said. His voice sounded unnaturally loud after that giant pause.

"I do not ask your pardon, Lord Elrond," Gandalf said gruffly as he sat down once more. "But the Black Tongue of Mordor will be heard in every corner if we do not act accordingly. The Ring is altogether evil. Recall what it did to Gollum and what it could have done to our dear Bilbo Baggins!"

I looked at the old Hobbit and frowned. Bilbo as Gollum? So wrong on so many levels! I was glad Gandalf had made him give up the Ring. This sweet, innocent creature was too beloved a fellow to become as disgusting as Gollum.

"Be glad, then," Aragorn said, "that Gollum has been imprisoned under the watchful gaze of the Elves of Mirkwood."

Legolas sighed. "Alas, that is no longer so. The creature Sméagol, who is now called Gollum, has escaped."

"Escaped?" I heard myself say. All eyes went to me and I struggled not to blush. "Um…how did that happen?" God, shut up, Nikki!

Legolas inclined his head to me. "It was not through lack of watchfulness, but perhaps through over-kindliness. And we fear that the prisoner had aid from others."

Gandalf's bushy eyebrows knitted together. "Well, well, he is gone now." He began to speak of Saruman and his treachery. He spoke of fleeing Orthanc on the back of an Eagle- so cool- to Rohan where he took a horse and rode to Bree, only to find that Frodo and his friends had already left with Aragorn, son of Arathorn.

Silence followed his tale. Grimm had resumed his spot on my lap and I was absently stroking his back as I stared at the Ring. I had never really understood how a piece of metal could turn someone into the medieval version of a crack addict. Could it enthrall me? Technically speaking, I wasn't the same type of human as the people here. The Ring could enthrall Men, Hobbits, and Elves…

"This news of Saruman is, indeed, grievous," Elrond said at last. "We trusted him and he is deep within our counsels. It is perilous to study too deeply the arts of the Enemy, for good or for ill. Such falls and betrayals, alas, have happened before. Our list of allies grows thin. Well, the tale is told, from first to last. Here we all are and here is the Ring. What shall we do with it?"

Silence.

I tentatively raised my hand, as if in school. Elrond nodded for me to speak. "We could destroy it."

Boromir scoffed. "And how do you propose we go about doing that?"

I scowled at him. "I don't know, do I? Melt it down or whatever! Take an ax to it."

"The Ring cannot be destroyed, Lady Nicolette, by any craft that we here possess," Elrond said. "The Ring was forged in the fires of Mount Doom. Only there can it be unmade. The Ring must be cast back into the fiery chasm from whence it came. One of you must do this."

"One does not simply walk into Mordor," Boromir argued. "It's Black Gates are guarded by more than just Orcs. There is an evil there that does not sleep. And the Great Eye is ever watchful. It was barren wasteland, riddled with fire and ash and dust. The very air you breathe in a poisonous fume. Not with ten thousand men could you do this. It is folly!"

"Have you heard nothing that has been said?" Legolas demanded. "The Ring must be destroyed!"

"And I suppose you think you're the one to do it?" Gimli growled at the Elf.

"And if we fail? What then?" Boromir shouted. "What happens when Sauron takes back what is his?"

"I will be dead before I see the Ring in the hands of an Elf! Never trust an Elf!"

Chaos erupted in the Council. Men, Elf and Dwarf rose against one another. Even Gandalf started shouting. Only Elrond, Aragorn, Frodo and myself remained silent. Then…

"I will take it! I WILL TAKE IT!"

I looked at the little Hobbit, not surprised, but definitely proud.

Frodo looked at everyone as they fell silent. "I will take the Ring to Mordor." He blinked. "Although I do not know the way."

Gandalf stepped forward and looked fondly at Frodo. "Then I shall help you carry this burden, Frodo Baggins, so long as it is yours to bear."

Aragorn stood up. "If by my life or death I can protect you I will. You have my sword."

"And you have my bow," Legolas said.

"And my ax," Gimli rumbled.

Boromir regarded Frodo with cool eyes. "You care the fate of us all, little one. But if this is indeed the will of the Council…Gondor will see it done."

"HEY!" Sam popped up behind me and rushed to his masters' side. "Mister Frodo isn't going anywhere without me!"

"No, indeed," Elrond chuckled. "It seems impossible to separate you two. Even when he is summoned to a secret Council and you are not."

"Wait! We're coming, too!" Merry and Pippin bolted up next to Frodo and Sam. "You'll have to tie us up in a bag to stop us!"

I clapped my hands together and stood up with Grimm around my shoulders. "Perfect! Nine companions; great stuff. Very poetic."

Gandalf raised an eyebrow. "Ten companions."

I jerked. "Wait, what?"

Gandalf smiled and his eyes twinkled. "I think it would be a very good idea to have someone watching over you. I will, therefore, you shall accompany me on this journey."

Oh, Hellfire.


	5. Slightly Different From What He Wrote

I was hiding.

It was a rational reaction. I was being dragged on a dangerous quest against my will. Sure, I knew what would happen, but… Orcs. Killing. Not my style.

"Miss Nikki?"

I hunched down lower in the stables. The horse I was bunking with snorted.

"Miss Nikki, where are you?" Ugh, it was Sam! "Miss Nikki?"

He wasn't going to go away. I watched him turned his back on me. Once he had, I jumped up onto the roof and started to walk quickly, but carefully across the beam. I had to duck tree branches, but finally I made it to the other edge.

Where Merry and Pippin were searching.

I gritted my teeth in annoyance. Confound these Hobbits! They were everywhere. I slipped onto my stomach and then slid down the hidden side of the roof.

"Hey, over there!"

I froze. Blasted Took had keen eyes. But no…they ran off in the opposite direction. I let out a sigh of relief and hopped down from the roof. I sneaked to the side of the stables and risked a peek. They were gone. I smirked. "Alone at last."

"Indeed."

My heart leapt up into my throat and I whirled around. Aragorn stood behind me, dressed back in his Ranger garb. I placed a hand over my racing heart. "Don't do that!" I stood up and looked up at him. "What are you doing sneaking around?"

"The same thing could be asked of you," he pointed out. Gods, why did he have such a soft voice? It was torture to women everywhere. "Why are you hiding with horses?"

I shrugged. "Last place you'd look."

"It is," he agreed. "But not the Hobbits."

I sagged. "Clever boys."

Aragorn reached into his leather jerkin and pulled out a handkerchief. "You have dirt on your face."

I took the cloth and rubbed away the offending grim. "Thanks."

"There is a celebration tonight," he said. "To send off the Company."

I grimaced. "I'm not a fighter. At all. I'd be a burden."

"None of the Halflings know how to fight," Aragorn said. "We will teach you. If only to defend yourselves."

"Nicolette?" Arwen turned the corner. "There you are! I have been searching everywhere…" She saw Aragorn and her reaction shocked me. Arwen turned cold. "Lord Aragorn," she said. "Fancy meeting you here."

Aragorn turned to stone. "I'll take my leave." He bowed stiffly and then disappeared.

I stared after him.

What the…

 

The bath water was warm and scented with vanilla and honey. I hummed in lazy content and sunk lower until the water nearly came up to my nose. Heaven… I could so get used to VIP treatment. When the water ran cold, I got out and took my time drying off. I just wanted to live in that moment.

But somebody had other plans. And that somebody knocked on the door to the baths. Sighing, I pulled on a robe and tied it securely around my waist. "Come in," I called, flipping my hair forward and began drying it with a towel.

"I have your gown ready," Arwen said. I glanced up and saw a bundle of white satin and silk in her arms.

"Oh, Arwen," I said, straightening up. "I-I couldn't. It's too beautiful!"

She smiled. "You will look radiant this night, Nicolette. As you should; you will be leaving tomorrow on a long journey and you will not have the luxury of even bathing for possibly months on end."

Screw that, I thought. Then I realized how snooty Arwen sounded. "I guess you're not an outside kind of girl, huh?"

She looked absolutely mortified. "Certainly not! I despise travelling. I only went out to find Frodo and his companions because my father bade me to do so."

And, right then, I realized that this was not going to be the same place Professor Tolkien had spent his whole life creating.

Great.

 

I watched Aragorn and Arwen at the festival. Well, actually, it was only through dinner. They sat beside each other, but neither of them seemed happy about it. They're bodies were rigid and they sat on the very edges of their seats away from each other. I swear, Arwen even shot him a dirty look when he refilled her goblet.

What, in the name of Tolkien, was going on?

"Hey, Bilbo?" I muttered to the old Hobbit sitting to my left. "What's with those two?"

Bilbo glanced at Arwen and Aragorn. "Ah. Yes…" He looked ready to laugh. "Well, believe it or not, those two were in love once upon a time."

"I believe it," I muttered. "What happened?" These two were in the Top Ten Best Fictional Couples back home! People had weddings inspired by these two! Their relationship was a mirror image to Tolkien and his wife!

"Well," Bilbo said, "he went off to join the Rangers and she never forgave him."

I frowned and poked at my salad. My appetite was suddenly gone. The old Hobbit looked at me. "Are you alright, dear?"

Nope, I just had my dreams shot down. "Yeah, I'm just not a salad kind of girl."

Bilbo laughed. "Neither are the Dwarves."

Eek! Story time! "What happened with Smaug?" I asked, almost too desperately. "How did you escape?"

Bilbo smiled and continued to tell me his story. I couldn't help the stars that were in my eyes. And every time he mentioned Thorin, I kept having shirtless Richard Armitage dancing through my mind. Mm, Richard Armitage…

Music started and Bilbo and I looked up. Elves started playing harps and flutes and tiny little guitar things. My heart went light and a strange euphoria settled over me. Beside me, Bilbo sighed happily. "There is nothing like the music of Elves."

Grimm leapt into my lap and started purring. I smiled and scratched his chin.

"Miss Nikki?" Merry came up to me and bowed. "Would you do me the honor?"

"Sorry, lad," Bilbo said, taking my hand and jumping to his feet at a speed that left me gaping at the old dude. "She is spoken for." He tugged me to my feet and Grimm grumbled reproachfully as he was sent to the ground.

"Oh, Bilbo," I blushed. "I-I don't know how to dance." At all. I had two left feet.

The old Hobbit chuckled. "Nonsense! Just follow me!" He put one hand on my waist and took mine in the other. I hitched up my skirts with my free hand and bit my lip as Bilbo and I moved around the room. This was so awkward; not just because I was a terrible dancer and I had no idea what kind of steps were entailed in this kind of dancing, but also because my partner was, well, short.

"Perhaps the lady needs something simpler?" Boromir suggested.

I shot him a murderous look before Bilbo turned my back to the Gondorian. "Just ignore him, dear," the Hobbit murmured. "You're doing fine."

"Why is Gandalf dragging me along?" I asked. "What is going on in that weed-infused head of his?"

Bilbo laughed. "He's a Wizard; he does as he chooses. But everything he does is for a purpose. I was an entirely respectable Hobbit without a care for adventures before he came along and now look at me! In Rivendell, dancing with a beautiful young lady!"

I smiled. He was just too adorable. "Thanks, Bilbo. You're a gem." I bent down and kissed his cheek. "Now let's please stop dancing before I step on you." He laughed and bowed over my hand before leading me back to our seats. The other Hobbits flocked around me and began showering me with compliments.


	6. I Left My Heart in Rivendell

I woke up a few hours before dawn. My body was suddenly too wired to rest. With good reason; the Fellowship was setting out today. I groaned and rubbed my eyes. Grimm woke up and meowed unhappily. Tears stung my eyes as I realized that I would have to leave him behind. The Wild was no place for him, even if he was the bravest creature I had ever known. I hugged my cat to me and buried my face in his dark fur.

I got up and changed out of my nightgown and into the traveling clothes the Elves had made for me. Dark leather pants, thigh-high black boots, a light green tunic, a tight light brown vest and hard leather bracers and chest plate. I pulled my hair into a tight ponytail and secured my belt around my waist.

I packed my jeans, t-shirt, sneakers and jacket in my pack. Grimm meowed and tugged on my sleeve, trying to keep me from leaving. I took him in my arms and cried into his fur. "You have to stay here," I whispered brokenly. "I'll come back as soon as I can; I promise."

Someone knocked on my door and entered. "Miss Meadows?" It was Bilbo. He saw my tears and immediately took a handkerchief out of his pocket and gave it to me. I took it and tried to stop the flow of tears. "You worry for Grimm." It wasn't a question.

"He's always been with me," I choked out. "Ever since I started high school and he was a kitten. We've been through everything together. I can't leave him, but I don't want him to get hurt."

Bilbo patted my elbow. "I promise, dear lady, to take care of him while you are gone."

It made me feel only a little bit better.

 

I kept Grimm close to me as we packed what we needed and assembled in the courtyard. The Hobbits tried to get me to smile, but I was too depressed. Not even Bilbo could lift my spirits when he tried to tell me about the Battle of the Five Armies.

Grimm purred softly and rubbed his cheek against mine. I closed my eyes and touched his tail. He was just too precious to me to leave. A tear slid down my cheek and a finger caught it. I blinked and blushed to find Aragorn there, looking sympathetic.

"You should not worry so," he said in that illegal soft voice. "You will see him again."

"It's like hacking off a limb," I mumbled. "He's a part of me."

"Nikki."

We turned to see Arwen standing in the entrance of the hall, wearing a mauve gown and looking as perfect as always. I excused myself from Aragorn and walked up to her. "Hey. Please tell me you're here to save me."

She smiled ruefully. "I have come to say my goodbyes. This will be the last we will see of each other."

I blinked. "I really don't plan on dying…"

"Oh no!" she gasped. "That is not what I meant. I only mean to say is that…I am leaving Rivendell as well."

My heart sank. "You mean you're sailing to the Undying Lands."

Arwen nodded. "Yes. The time of the Elves is ending. I will go and my father will follow shortly thereafter." She cupped my cheek. "But I have faith that you and Frodo will succeed."

I grimaced. "Yeah. I'm just not really keen on the whole danger part."

Arwen stepped forward and took my hand. "I want you to have this, my friend," she whispered, placing something in my hand. "So that you will remember me when I am gone."

Confused, I looked at my hand and gasped. It was the Evenstar! "Arwen, I… I can't! You cannot give me this!"

"It is mine to give to whom I will." She kissed my brow. "I give it to you, Nicolette Meadows. It will watch over you."

Oh, boy.

We hugged and she scratched Grimm's chin one last time and said something in Elvish to him. My cat purred thunderously and actually licked her finger. Holy crap! He only ever did that when trying to calm me down from a huge rant!

 

"The Ring-bearer is setting out on a quest for Mordor," Elrond said. "Those who go with him hold no oath. You may turn back or go your own way whenever you chose. Farewell. And may the blessings of Elves and Men and all the Free Folk go with you."

Bilbo stepped forward with Grimm in his arms and I knelt down. "You be a good kitty for Bilbo," I told him. "I don't want to hear a single bad thing from him when I get back. Okay?"

Grimm meowed and tried to squirm into my arms. I pulled back and turned away so no one could see my tears. My heart was breaking into a million pieces!

"Miss Nikki, wait a moment," Bilbo called. He reached into his pocket and gave me a handkerchief. "I've found one will always need a pocket handkerchief on journeys."

I took it gratefully and followed the rest of the Fellowship out of the courtyard and into the Wild. All the while, Grimm meowed insistently. He was determined to go with me, but Bilbo kept a firm grip on him. I pressed Bilbo's handkerchief to my eyes, but it did little to stop the stream of tears.

I had left my heart in Rivendell.


	7. Homesickness Sucks

Aragorn POV

I watched Nicolette from the rear of the company. She held her own in the Wilderness and even helped the Hobbits when one of them stumbled. But it was plain to see that she was unhappy. And she obviously blamed Gandalf; she had shot the Wizard a baleful glare when he tried to tell her that her cat would be safe in Rivendell.

It was surprising how much she was attached to the feline. I found it both heartening and confusing. Nicolette had a good heart. She was a bit strange, but perhaps she was normal where she came from. Perhaps, to her, we were the strange ones.

 

I never thought I could hate someone as iconic and awesome as Gandalf the Grey. But, apparently, I could. Gandalf had dragged me into this Fellowship and away from my cat. I knew everything about Middle-Earth (I pride myself as being a Tolkien-nerd) but that did little to encourage me. These guys would be subjected to a thousand different horrors that I so didn't want to be a part of!

And Boromir was just making it hard.

"I swear to the powers that be," I growled to the Hobbits, "if I hear him say one more thing against me, I will shove him off a cliff!"

Sam reached up and patted my back. "You shouldn't let him get to you, miss."

"Yeah, he looks down on us, too," Pippin piped up.

I looked down at him. "Dude, that's because ya'll are the size of my six year-old nieces. Seriously, I could totally throw you over my shoulders."

"No you couldn't," Merry scoffed.

I raised an eyebrow and then picked him up and held him upside down across my shoulders. "You were saying?"

Merry shouted and laughed. "Alright! Alright!"

"I'm sorry, what was that?" I teased.

"I was wrong!" Merry squealed. "Put me down!"

I set him right and pretended to dust off my hands. "You should never doubt me."

"Do you do that to your nieces?" Aragorn had snuck up behind me.

I nodded. "Hecks yeah. They love it."

"What are their names?" Sam asked.

"Delia, Diana and Daphne," I sighed. "Blonde, cute and so smart. I kid you not; they can say 'grown-up-words' like they were thirty years old instead of six."

"What is it like?" Frodo asked. "Your home?"

I smiled wistfully. "Everything's green in the summer. We have these huge mountain ranges, beautiful lakes… And the sunsets have to be the most romantic things in the entire world! My grandparents own a small horse ranch; it's where they raised my older brother and me."

"What about your parents?"

"Dad ran off when Mom was still pregnant with me," I said softly. "She died when I was eight from some kind of stroke. It was just Grandma, Poppy, Bernard and me. And Aunt Lillian," I added with an eye roll. "She's…an acquired taste."

"What's your brother like?" Pippin asked.

"He's great. Always looking after me. Punched a boy in the nose when he was giving me a hard time." They chuckled at that. "He stays close with his wife. You should have seen his face when he found out they were having triplets! I thought he was going to pass out!"

"Three children at once?" Gimli whistled. "That is impressive."

"And all girls," Legolas laughed. "And you seem to dote upon your nieces."

I shrugged modestly. "I try. I always wanted to be the cool aunt everybody wants. Now I am." I faltered. "Or…I was…" Dear Lord… "What's today?"

"November 1st, I do believe," Gandalf replied.

"What is it?" Aragorn asked.

I shook my head. "I was going to take them on their first camping trip. We were going to take the horses and ride up into the mountains. Aunt Lillian has a cabin up there…"

What would they think? What if they thought that I had been kidnapped? Or worse; if I had just run off like dad. Delia and Diana would cry themselves to sleep every night and Daphne… Oh God, sweet Daphne would close off completely! And what about Bernard? We were everything to each other!

 

Legolas POV

Nicolette's grief was tangible. It was obvious that she was hurting; leaving one's family behind had that effect. I had only known the girl for a few short days, but I knew that she had a good heart. To hear her talk about her family with shining eyes told me that she loved easily and fiercely.

When she went quiet, I glanced back at her and saw her with her head bowed and arms wrapped around her herself. The Hobbits walked with her, looking for something to cause her to smile again. Aragorn was behind them, his grey eyes full of an emotion I could not place.

I turned back to Gandalf and asked in my native tongue, "She should not have come."

"Now you sound like Boromir," Gandalf muttered in kind. "Nikki has more potential than even she knows."

"I do not doubt her potential," I replied. "But have you taken the time to look at her?"

The Wizard looked over his shoulder and his mouth turned down. "She feels the loss of her home. And her feline friend."

"Why did you make her leave the cat behind?"

Gandalf grumbled to himself for a moment. "We could hardly let a cat join the Company. Think how Nikki would feel if he were to get lost or die!"

"Yet think how it would improve moral, Mithrandir."

 

The Hobbits had tried to get me to laugh, but everything was just forced. I felt terrible. I felt terrible for feeling terrible! Man, those emotions just sucked rocks!

When we set camp for the night, I helped Sam with dinner and unrolled my sleep mat against a rock that would shield me when the sun rose. Dinner was a few rabbits Boromir had snagged, hard biscuits and some kind of mashed potato that I just gave to Frodo.

"Ah!" Pippin sighed happily, stretching his limbs. "If only we had a bit of Longbottom Leaf!"

"Aye," Merry agreed sadly. "But all we have is Old Toby."

"Nothing wrong with Old Toby," Gandalf said, filling his pipe. "Bilbo and I both agree that it is the finest pipe weed in the South Farthing." He puffed a few times and then blew out several rings that hovered in the air above the camp and changed colors.

I lay on my side on my mat, head supported on my elbow. "How far did we travel today?"

"About five and fourty leagues, as the crow flies," Gandalf answered. "It is for the Dimrill Dale that we are making. If we climb the pass that is called Redhorn Gate, under the far side of Caradhras, we shall come down by the Dimrill Stair into the deep vale of the Dwarves. There lies Mirrormere, and there the River Silverlode rises in its icy springs. We must go down the Silverlode into the secret woods and so to the Great River and then…" He paused.

"And then?" I encouraged.

"To the end of the journey."

I narrowed my eyes. He did know what route to take to Mordor…right? Not that it would matter in the end, but still. The Wandering Wizard had to have known a path that suited us best.

We bedded down shortly thereafter, Merry and Sam curled up close to me with Frodo closest to the fire and Pippin taking first watch.

 

In the morning, I was roused by soft laughter and excited whispering. With a few of Boromir's grumblings added to the mix. I yawned and sat up, rubbing my eyes. "What's going on?"

"You will never believe who has been following us," Legolas laughed.

I yawned again and rolled my shoulders. "A couple of Aragorn's Ranger buddies?"

Mrow!

My heart leapt into my throat and I was suddenly wide awake. "Grimm?!"

The dark tabby squirmed out of Legolas's arms and bounded over to me. I took him into my arms and sobbed happily into his fur. "Oh, Grimm! You followed us! My boy; my beautiful, lovely boy!" He purred thunderously in my ear and rubbed his face all over mine as I petted and stroked him.

"Well now," Gandalf said with a twinkle in his eyes. "It would seem we have a new member of the Company."

Yeah, I always loved the guy!


	8. What Is This Feeling So Sudden and New

Life was so much brighter with Grimm in my arms once more. The sky was bluer, the grass greener and birds were singing. Totally cliché, maybe, but it's true. Grimm was my rock; he was my everything.

"Strange," Boromir said as we started walking again.

I was so going to regret this. "What is?"

His grey eyes watched as Grimm purred happily on my shoulders. "The cat followed us into the Wild and found its way to you in the dead of night."

I smirked and scratched Grimm's chin. "We've never been separated. Grandma said we are two halves of a whole. Where I go, he goes. And, apparently, not even the threat of Sauron can keep us apart."

Boromir looked at me carefully. "I may have misjudged you, Lady Meadows." And then he walked farther ahead with Sam and Pippin.

Meow.

"Yeah," I agreed. "Did not see that one coming."

"Boromir is a proud man from a long line of nobility." Aragorn appeared at my side.

I blinked. "Dude, you have to stop sneaking up on me." I looked at Boromir's back. "He's the son of the Steward of Gondor, right?"

"Aye."

My hand went sub-consciously to my neck and I felt the Evenstar, warm against my breast bone. "What can you tell me about the Evenstar?"

Aragorn looked mildly startled at the question. "Lady Arwen's necklace?"

I bit my lower lip. "Well…" I took the jewel out to show him. "She kinda gave it to me before we left."

Aragorn's brows met in one dark line. "The Evenstar, it is said, is a shard of one of the Silmarils."

I frowned. "Those were the jewels that Morgoth stole, right?"

"Indeed. One was swallowed by the earth and another thrown into the sea. Only one was saved and Varda sent it into the skies to become the Morning Star."

"Who is Varda?"

Aragorn bowed his head. "She is the Queen of the Valar. The Elves call her Elbereth Gilthoniel. And sing her hymn very often. It is said that Morgoth feared Varda for she refused him before Time."

I nodded. "Well, good for her! Considering he turned out to be such a loser…"

Aragorn threw back his head and laughed. The Company glanced back at us and I stared at him in amazement. "Nicolette, you have an interesting way of surmising things."

I shrugged modestly. "It's a gift."

 

"You mean you have never held a sword or bow before?"

"…Yeah."

"Ever?"

"Never ever."

Boromir looked at Gandalf, as if he were proving a point. I once again had that urge to hit him.

"It's not that uncommon," I said defensively. "There's not a whole lot of fighting where I come from. And…we kind of don't use swords or bows anymore."

Even the Hobbits looked at me strangely.

"What do you use to fight, then?" Gimli asked.

Ooh… How could I explain guns to these guys? And did I even want to? What if I altered the Tolkien time-line or whatever and introduced technology to these people before they were ready to handle it? Look at what President Hoover did with the A-bomb! Hiroshima; BAM!- gone!

"It's complicated," I said finally.

"No swords?" Pippin repeated. I shook my head.

"What are your weapons like?" Legolas asked.

I bit my lips. "I think like your bow and arrow. We aim and shoot. I'm pretty good with a shotgun; Poppy took me hunting all of the time."

Aragorn frowned. "When we stop I will teach you how to use a bow."

Aw, Hell yes! "Yeah, okay."

 

The arrow missed the apple by at least five feet.

"This is so not a shotgun," I sighed.

"You are not relaxing," Aragorn pointed out. "And you're holding the bow too tightly."

I loosened my grip slightly and readied another arrow.

"Feet apart."

I rolled my eyes. Did he have to sound patronizing? I spread my feet and took my stance.

"You're tensing again."

I tensed even more when I felt Aragorn step closer to me. He was so close, I could actually feel the heat radiating off his body, feel his breath inches from my ear… Sweet Nutella, I could taste his wild scent on my tongue!

Oblivious to the effect he had on me, Aragorn placed one hand over my bow hand and the other on my drawn elbow. "Relax," he whispered. "Take in a breath."

I expanded my lungs.

"Believe that you can hit the target," he continued. His lips almost brushed my ear. "Now…let go."

I released the arrow and my breath at the same time. Not only did the arrow snag the apple dead center, but it sailed through the air and imbedded itself in the bark of a tree. I gasped in disbelief. "I did it!"

"Well done." Aragorn still had his hands on me. "With a little practice, you can soon hit moving targets."

I frowned, suddenly worried. "What about hitting targets coming at me with a sword?" It was bound to happen.

Aragorn was silent, but I could have sworn that his fingers tightened on me. "With practice," he promised. He finally let go and turned away. "Come. Supper should be ready."

"Aragorn?"

He looked back at me. "Yes?"

I blushed and shyly tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. "Thank you for…for teaching me."

Aragorn smiled. "You are welcome."

 

Aragorn POV

Nicolette was a fast learner, but I could see the reluctance in her eyes when we trained. Each night when we stopped for camp, I trained her with the bow and the sword. She was skilled with the bow, but terrible with the sword.

"You must learn to use both," I told her when she looked at my blade like a scared rabbit.

"Yeah," she had agreed slowly, "but swords are kind of…scary. It makes this whole thing real, you know?"

Once again, I was reminded of how young she was and that this was not her world. In truth, she looked like one of the few female Rangers in her leather outfit. But as I watched her now, sleeping beside the fire with Grimm in her arms and Frodo and Sam on either side of her, I could see that she was out of place amongst us and not just because she was a woman.

I sighed and looked up at the full moon. I had a strong urge to protect Nicolette Meadows. It was stronger than my feelings to protect Frodo and the Ring, the other Halflings and my people. Why did I feel such a way for her? I had only known her for a short time.

Perhaps it was her laugh; a charming giggle that was low and a little husky.

Perhaps it was her smile; lopsided, perfect and full of cheer.

It could easily have been her eyes; dark brown orbs that held wonder and a soft beauty…

I sighed again and ran a hand over my face. No, I could not entertain such thoughts. We were on a quest that could mean the destruction of Men if we failed. I could not- would not- allow myself to become distracted by a woman.

 

Frodo POV

Nikki was a joy to have around.

She laughed easily and joked about everything. She regaled the Company with tales of her life on her grandparents' farm and of her family. With Grimm in her arms, she would not become so melancholy when she missed her home.

"Why did you name him Grimm?" I asked as we were climbing over tall hills.

Nikki smiled. "I was kind of into these fairytales at the time. They were written by the Brothers Grimm and I thought 'hey, that's a cool name for a cat' and that was it."

Ahead of us, Grimm rolled around on the grass, swatting playfully at a passing butterfly.

I smiled. "You said you live on a horse farm. Do you have a horse of your own?"

"No, not my very own. Grandma gives horse-riding lessons and Poppy takes them on the cattle-trails. I'm happy with just taking care of them."

"Do they have names?" Sam asked.

Nikki laughed. "Of course they do! There's Cadillac, Blue Magic, Night Dancer, Ambrosias and Cutter. Cadillac is the oldest; she's used to teach the younger kids. Blue Magic is this pretty blue roan and has the biggest ego. Night Dancer is a black Arabian and I take her out whenever I can. Ambrosias and Cutter are brothers and are kind of mean to Grimm."

"And you take care of them all?" Boromir asked from behind us.

"When I'm not at work or school, yeah."

The Man blinked. "School? You are educated?"

I could tell that that had been the wrong thing to say. Nikki's face went sour and her brown eyes flashed. She stopped climbing and faced him. "You got a problem with that?"

Boromir scowled and opened his mouth to rise to the challenge, but Gimli barked from behind, "Let it go, lad! Her world is different from ours. Stop baiting her with everything she says."

Boromir looked thunderous and stalked past us. Nikki stuck her tongue out at his retreating back. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing, but on the inside I was seething. Why did Boromir have to belittle Nikki? She was a good person and everyone else liked her.

 

Stupid Boromir.

Just when I was actually starting to like the guy, he pulls this. And to make matters worse, it was starting to rain! I hated the rain. It was fine when I was inside nice and dry, but I hated getting caught in it. As soon as he felt a drop hit his fur, Grimm rocketed into my arms and glared at the darkening sky. I folded my cloak over both of us and lifted the hood.

The rain had turned perfectly solid dirt into slippery mud and soon all of us were covered from head to toe in muck. Pippin had actually face-planted in a gooey puddle and was now trying to see the path in front of him.

My right foot slid out from under me and I started to fall sideways. A hand lashed out, catching my arm. I was pulled harshly against a warm body. I gasped and looked up to see Aragorn gazing down at me with an equally shocked expression. He righted me and fixed my hood, which had fallen. "Be more careful," he whispered.

I could have sworn he had tugged a lock of my hair.


	9. Crebain from Dunland

"Two, one, five… Good! Very good! Pippin. Two, one, five…"

"Move your feet!" Aragorn called from around his pipe.

"I am so jealous," I grumbled. I was lying on my stomach next to Aragorn, watching Boromir teach Merry and Pippin how to sword fight. "They learn better than me."

Aragorn glanced at me. "You are more inclined to the bow. Besides, the swords we have are not suited to your stature."

I smirked at him. "You mean my feminine curves?"

The corner of his mouth twitched. "I mean your slimmer build. Perhaps an Elvish blade would be more to your liking."

"But aren't Elves stronger than humans?"

"Marginally, but it does not show in how they forge their blades."

"If anyone were to ask my opinion, which I note they're not, I'd say we are taking the long way 'round." Gimli's voice drifted down to me. "Gandalf, we could pass through the Mines of Moria. My cousin Balin will give us a royal welcome!"

Remembering the kind, old Dwarf as played by Ken Stott, I was sure that Balin would welcome us with opened arms. But he was long dead now. And that suddenly made me want to cry. I busied myself with Grimm, who was playfully flicking his tail against my nose.

"No, Gimli," Gandalf said. "I would not take the path of Moria unless I had no other choice."

Fat lot of good that will do us.

"Gah!" Pippin cried out and dropped his sword.

"Sorry!" Boromir gasped, moving to see the damage he had caused.

I was on my feet in an instant, ready to pummel the Man into the ground, but Pippin and Merry jumped on Boromir and dragged him to the ground. "For the Shire!" I relaxed and settled back down. As I did, my hand went over Aragorn's. We both pulled sharply back.

"Sorry!" I gasped, mimicking Boromir.

Aragorn cleared his throat and got up. "Gentlemen, that's enough." He made to pull the Hobbits off of Boromir, but the wily pair scooped the Ranger's legs out from under him.

"My money is on the Hobbits," I called, stroking Grimm's back.

Aragorn stood up, lifting Merry in the air until Pippin caught his arm and pulled him back into the pile. Boromir tried to crawl away, but his legs were tangled beneath Pippin. Finally, the Men sued for mercy and the Hobbits pranced away for breakfast.

"Victory to the Shire," I giggled. "And a bruised ego for Man. Seriously, boys, if you can't win against Hobbits, we're in big trouble."

Aragorn retook his seat beside me and rolled his eyes. "Perhaps you can take the Hobbits next time."

"With one hand tied behind my back," I said cockily.

"What is that?" Sam suddenly asked, looking to the South. Aragorn and I twisted around to look. It was a shadowed thing moving towards us. Aw, crap.

"Nothing," Gimli waved off. "Just a wisp of cloud."

"It's darker than the other clouds," I pointed out.

"It's moving fast," Boromir said. "Against the wind."

"Crebain from Dunland!" Legolas cried.

 

Aragorn POV

"Hide!" I shouted.

Instinctively, I took Nicolette's hand and pulled her up. We dived into some bushes and pressed ourselves against each other. Grimm shot under a shadowed rock with Gandalf. I felt Nicolette tremble for fear of her feline companion.

There was a tense moment and then the crebain squawked overhead and swarmed around the camp. Nicolette shivered and I tightened my arms around her. I could tell that she was holding her breath; her chest was expanded against mine and her muscles were locked.

The crebain receded away and I waited until Gandalf popped out before releasing Nicolette. She let out her breath and her body shuddered. Her eyes closed and she shook her head. "Are you well?" I asked as we climbed out of the bushes.

She opened her mouth to reply, but Gandalf cut her off. "Spies of Saruman! The passage South is being watched. We must take the Pass of Caradhras!"

Nicolette sagged and grimaced. "I hate birds."

I smiled slightly. She was fine.


	10. Caradhras

It was cold.

So. Damn. Cold.

I hated the cold! I kept my cloak wrapped tightly around me while carrying Grimm in my pack, but I was still friggin' cold! Suddenly, a heavy fur was placed on my shoulders. I looked up to see Boromir fixing it straight on me.

 

Boromir POV

The girl was shaking more than the Hobbits. She stumbled unhappily through the snow of the mountain and frequently cursed under her breath. In truth, I did feel guilty about treating her harshly. But it was so strange seeing a young woman on such a perilous quest. It was strange with the Hobbits, yes, but they were all male.

But perhaps that was unfair. There were shieldmaidens who fought better than most men.

Nikki's teeth started chattering and finally my pity broke through. I took off my fur and placed it around her shoulders. She stopped and looked up at me with wide, brown eyes. I pulled her hood up and tucked the stray locks under the material.

"I have made an error, my lady," I said. "I was wrong to…"

"Talk down to me?" she suggested with sparkling eyes.

I smiled. "Please forgive me."

She caught my hand and gave it a small squeeze. "Thanks, Boromir."

 

Aragorn POV

I looked up and saw Boromir with Nicolette and I didn't feel the cold bite of our surroundings. I felt white rage and red irritation. What was he doing with her?

Why do I feel this way?

Nicolette took Boromir's hand and my insides seemed to shrivel. I couldn't be jealous!

Could I?

Nicolette walked side by side with Boromir up the mountain. They were still holding hands. I hefted my pack and kept my eyes fixed firmly on the Hobbits as they struggled through the snow. I caught Merry's arm as he slid back a few inches.

"Are they going to start tearing at each other's throats again?" he asked.

I glanced back up at Nicolette and saw her laughing at whatever Boromir was animatedly telling her. My irritation only grew. "I don't think so," I answered neutrally.

"That's good, right?" The Hobbit looked up at me and I tried to give him a reassuring smile.

"Yes. Yes, it is."

 

"Your brother sounds awesome," I giggled.

Boromir's hand tightened around my own as he pulled me over a large snow drift. "I think the two of you would get along famously. He is…not like my father." There was a hidden emotion behind his words.

I looked at him. "And you are?"

"Yes."

I nodded slowly. "Your dad is the Steward, right? What does that mean?"

Boromir looked pleased by the question. "He rules the land in the absence of the king. It is no easy task. When he passes, I shall inherit his titles and role."

I glanced behind at Aragorn at the very back of the Company. "Even if a king appears?"

Boromir followed my gaze then turned back to climbing. "Even then. The Steward is the second-in-command to the king."

"Well, third-in-command," I objected. "I mean, if there's a queen."

Boromir shook his head. "Queen is but a tittle. It only gives a woman so much power." He turned sheepish. "There has never been a queen sole ruling a land."

I stared. "What? Like, not ever?"

"No."

"Hey, Gimli!" I called up to the Dwarf.

"Aye, lassie?"

"Have there been any Dwarf queens?"

"Of course! It's how princes are made!"

The Company laughed and I had to chuckle. "Cute. I mean queens without the king."

"Eh…" The Dwarf stopped and stroked his ginger beard. "Not that I can recall. Although, if the Lady Dis hadn't fallen into despair, Erebor would be a different place."

"Dis?" I repeated. "Where have I heard that name before?"

"She is the young sister of Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf called at the forefront of the group. "When her brother and sons were slain in the Battle of the Five Armies, Dis fell into a depression. She remains in Ered Luin with her second husband."

"She would have made a great queen," Gimli sighed.

"What about the Elves?" I asked Legolas. "You guys have got to have an independent queen."

Legolas smiled at me kindly. "There have been a few, it is true. But not for many centuries."

I sagged. I was really starting to like Middle-Earth less and less.

Seeing how bummed I was, Legolas added, "But there is still the Lady of the Golden Wood."

I perked up. "You mean Lady Galadriel?"

He nodded. "She may not have the title, but she is like a queen to my people."

"Miss Meadows," Gandalf called. "Come and help an old man."

Like he needed any real help. But I just sighed and gave Boromir his cloak back. "Thanks," I told him and walked up to Gandalf. I was shocked to see that he really did seem a bit out of breath. He leaned on me for support. "Altitude getting to you?"

"I am not as young as I used to be," he admitted. We carried on walking. "You and Boromir patched things up?"

"I guess," I muttered. "Didn't snap at each other, so there's that."

"Good, good," he whispered. "And how have you been faring?"

I looked at him. "I'm getting by."

The Wizard looked down at me. "My dear, I wish to apologize to you. It was presumptuous of me to take you from Rivendell. There are perils out here. Some of which I have yet to be tested against."

I was about to reply, when I heard Aragorn call out Frodo's name. I turned in time to see the Ranger stop the Hobbit's fall and help him to his feet. Frodo's hands scrambled at his neck, but came away empty.

The Ring was now in Boromir's hand.

The Company halted. No one moved. At least not then.

"Boromir," Aragorn warned.

The man of Gondor stared at the gold band. "It is a strange fate that we should suffer so much fear and doubt for so small a thing. Such a little thing…"

"Boromir!" Aragorn shouted, jerking the other Man from his trance. "Give the Ring to Frodo!"

Boromir laughed unsteadily. "As you wish!" He extended his hand to the Halfling, who snatched it back. "I care not!" He ruffled Frodo's hair and continued on.

I looked up at Gandalf. "It's beginning, isn't it?"

The Wizard said nothing, but trudged on ahead.

I closed my eyes briefly and took a deep breath. I had yet to feel any effects of the Ring, but I was still scared that I would become rabid and hurt sweet Frodo Baggins.

But I feared Boromir would snap first.


	11. Frozen

A storm had appeared out of nowhere while we were circling the peak of Caradhras. Snow flew into our faces, freezing and biting. Grimm was still tucked safely in my pack, but even he was not completely safe from the terrible elements.

Boromir led the way, using his girth to plough through the snow. Gandalf was behind him to direct the path. Sam and Gimli led Bill the pony and then came Legolas and me with Frodo, Merry and Pippin. Aragorn took up the rear; his dark clothes nearly a light grey from all the snow.

I shivered violently and Legolas put an arm around me. "Nikki," he called over the roaring winds. "Your lips are blue!"

Too…cold…

"Gandalf!" the Elf called. "The young ones are freezing!"

If the Wizard heard, he did not give any sign that he did.

"F-f-f-f-fine," I gasped out. "J-j-just go on."

Legolas held me close and we continued on.

 

Legolas POV

As and Elf, the cold rarely ever bother me.

But my companions were a different matter. The Hobbits and Nikki were in the worse shape. The Hobbits trudged on with fading determination, but all light had faded from Nikki's eyes. She was shaking so much, my entire arm was vibrating. Her skin was pale and her lips blue. I suspected that she had stuffed her extra shirt into her pack for Grimm to keep warm.

Her kind heart was going to be the death of her.

Nikki suddenly tripped and would have fallen had I not caught her. "Hold!" I cried out.

"Nikki, are you hurt!" Frodo cried, hurrying to her side.

Nikki didn't even react to him. She just stared ahead with empty eyes and an expressionless face. Aragorn came to her side and touched her face. "She's like ice!" he cursed. "Gandalf, we must turn back!"

"No!"

"Blast it, Wizard, we shall die up here!" Boromir shouted. "The mountain has defeated us!"

Nikki went limp in my arms. Grimm leapt out of her pack and started meowing insistently. I lowered Nikki to the frozen ground and the tom cat started rubbing his face against her pale cheek.

"If we cannot go over the mountain, let us go under it!" Gimli called. "Let us go through the Mines of Moria!"

Aragorn and I started wrapping Nikki up in what blankets and cloaks were left. Pippin even offered to let her use his cloak, but I denied him. "It will not do for you to freeze as well, Master Took."

"Gandalf!" Frodo spoke up. "We cannot go on! Nikki will die if we do!"

Only I saw the pain in Aragorn's eyes as he stared down at the girl in my arms.

"Very well," Gandalf said at length.

At once, Aragorn took Nikki into his arms and placed her atop of Bill. He kept one hand on the girl's back to make sure she didn't fall. The Hobbits flanked them, resolute in getting our fair friend down the mountain.

 

Aragorn POV

It had taken a day to reach the bottom of that cursed mountain. Nicolette had yet to stir, but her color was returning, if slowly. When we finally reached a place to make camp, the Hobbits lit a fire and I placed Nicolette beside it, staying by her side to make sure she came back.

Gimli sat close by, holding Grimm in his arms. The cat was still tucked into the Dwarf's ginger beard, his amber eyes glowing in the firelight. Boromir paced around the camp, Merry and Pippin not far behind him. Sam sat cooking dinner with Frodo and Gandalf smoking their pipes and Legolas standing watch.

"Are we going to Moria now, Mr Gandalf?" Sam asked, breaking the tense silence.

Gandalf puffed a few times before replying, "Yes. The Gap of Rohan takes us too close to Isenguard, where Saruman dwells."

"Saruman made no attempt on me when I crossed through the Gap," Boromir pointed out.

"Things have changed since you came North, Boromir," Gandalf answered. "Were you not at council when I spoke? When this is all over he and I will have words, but the Ring must not come near Isenguard."

"Then we might pass by and cross the Isen into Langstrand and Lebennin, and so come to Gondor from the regions nigh to the sea," Boromir suggested.

"We cannot afford the time," Gandalf snapped. "We might spend a year in such a journey and we should pass through many lands that are empty and harborless. Yet they would not be safe. The watchful eyes of both Saruman and of the Enemy are on them."

As they spoke, I looked down at Nicolette and absently brushed a stray lock of her russet hair from her brow. She seemed so peaceful, so at ease. If only what ailed her hadn't been so ill, I would have felt warmed at her sight. But there she lay; quiet, still and beautiful.

 

The cold had numbed all feeling in my body. My brain felt like it was full of pussy-willows. I could hear voices all around me, but it was like I was wearing earmuffs and a blindfold. I couldn't see, I could barely hear and I just wanted to sleep.

But then it started to get warmer.

 

Aragorn POV

Her color was returning faster now and her breathing was stronger. I sighed in relief and started to peel away the outer layers of blanket and cloak. Nicolette made a small, humming sound that was heard by everyone. Grimm scrambled out of Gimli's arms and bounded up to his mistress, purring thunderously.

"Is she awake?" Pippin asked.

"Not yet," I replied softly. "Let her recover on her own terms."

"…Aragorn…"

My name slipped past her pale lips and my heart leapt into my throat. I scooted closer to her, wanting to call out to her, despite my words. My hands dithered uselessly over her for a moment before I just stood up and walked to the edge of camp.

 

Legolas POV

I spent the night watching over Nikki and the others as they slept. It was strange to me that they needed to replenish their strength thus every night. As an Elf, I needed but an hour or two ever three days. Four, if I was willing to push it.

I looked down at Nikki and was pleased that her complexion was back to normal. She had stirred every now and again, which told me that she was out of danger. That was good; a life as young and precious as hers should be guarded jealously. The Hobbits were taken with her, Gimli liked her and I thought of her as a younger sister. But I suspected that Aragorn had stronger feelings for our fair companion. And, judging by the long looks he gave her, Boromir was starting to feel the same.

Nikki fidgeted again and I glanced down at her to see her roll onto her side. I smiled and looked up at the stars. Yes. She would be fine.

 

Coming out of the numb haze hurt. Like, really hurt. It felt like a migraine mixed with a three day old coughing fit and a heart condition. Yeah, it sucked.

I opened my eyes and pulled a face at the dawning sun. I loved the sun, especially after Caradhras, but I didn't need it as a wakeup call. I moved and found that I was hot. I was covered with blankets. I kicked them away and sat up. "Ugh, my head…"

"At last you awake!" Legolas came and crouched down beside me. He offered me a waterskin, from which I drank gratefully. "You collapsed from the cold. We weren't sure if you would make it at first, but your complexion returned and you don't look any worse for wear."

"Feel gross," I croaked, rubbing my face. "Where're the others?"

"Still asleep. I was about to wake them."

I yawned hugely and smiled as Grimm bounded into my lap. "Hey, sweetie. Did I give you a scare? Huh? Scared myself." He gave a throaty mrow and purred happily.

"Nikki! You're awake!"

"Nikki!"

"Wake up! Nikki's alive!"

Four Hobbits were suddenly hugging me from each direction. I laughed and returned the embrace. "Hey! Don't squeeze so hard!"

"Oi, lass," Gimli grunted as he got up from his bedroll. "Ye gave us quite the scare!"

Sam started breakfast with Merry, while Frodo and Pippin stayed close to me. Boromir gave my shoulder a squeeze, his eyes warm and happy. Gandalf patted my head. Only Aragorn didn't approach. He just looked at me with an expressionless face and muttered, "Welcome back."

I blushed. "Good to be back."


	12. Dog Fight

The road to Moria started out as eventless. Really, it was just walking. I did come to know more about Boromir and he told me more stories of him and his little brother. I was really starting to like the guy, despite our rocky start.

"You mentioned your nieces," Boromir said. "You love them very much."

I nodded. "I miss them. My day was brighter when they came around. I'd chase them around the ranch for hours and I would never get tired. I cooked for them, I nursed them… I wish I could see them one last time."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. "You will, Nikki. You will see your family again."

I really hoped he was right.

When we set up camp for the night in the center of a ring of rocks, Grimm amused himself by following Aragorn around camp. He batted playfully at the Ranger's cloak and when Aragorn would eye him Grimm would blink innocently up at him.

Aragorn sat down by the fire and Grimm pounced into his lap. He sighed and rubbed the tom's head. "Nicolette? Could you possibly try to control your feline?"

I smirked from my place cooking dinner with Sam. "I would if I could, but I can't so I shan't."

Boromir and Gimli guffawed while Legolas smiled. Grimm purred and butted his head against Aragorn's chin. Aragorn sighed again and submitted to the power of cuteness. I walked over to him with dinner and sat down next to him. Grimm gave a throaty 'mrow' and settled down over our legs, his head against my hip.

 

Frodo POV

Seeing Grimm lying across both Aragorn and Nikki was I sight that me smile. It was as if the cat was adopting the Ranger into his family of two. Perhaps that was an idea Nikki wasn't too adverse to.

"They almost look like a family, don't they?" Merry observed quietly.

I smiled. "They do, indeed."

"Do you think he'll marry her someday?" Pippin whispered.

"Who wouldn't?" Gimli put in, surprising us. "She's a bright little thing. And he definitely has taken a shine to her."

"Are you married, Mister Gimli?" Sam asked, handing him a bowl of stew.

The Dwarf laughed. "Ha! No, lad, it's just me. I haven't found that lucky lass yet."

"What about you, Mister Legolas?"

The Elf's expression became reserved. "There…was a woman. Once. Tauriel was the captain of the guard when Thorin Oakenshield and his Company traveled through our lands to the Lonely Mountain. She died in the Battle of Five Armies."

Not even Gimli had the heart to tease him.

 

"Why the talk of marriage?" I piped up. "Do you have someone special back home, Sam?"

"No!" the fat Hobbit said, a little too quickly.

"Yes!" Merry crowed. "Rosie Cotton, the barmaid!"

"Sam here gets all moon-eyed and goes as red as a tomato," Pippin laughed. "Oh, there he goes!" As Sam blushed to his blonde roots, Frodo smiled and patted his shoulder.

"And you, Lady Meadows?" Boromir asked from across camp. "Is there anyone for you back home?"

Beside me, Aragorn stilled. I smirked slightly. "Nope. I've had a few gentlemen callers, but none lasted very long."

"Why is that?" Pippin asked, earning himself a smack upside the head by Merry.

I shrugged. "Just wasn't meant to be, I guess. Carter did break my heart, though."

"And what did this Carter do to you, exactly?" Gimli bristled protectively.

I scratched Grimm behind the ears. "When we graduated high school, I couldn't bear to tear myself away from Montana. It was all I had known. Carter's dream was to open his own law firm. We called it off; Carter went to the East Coast and I never left home."

"He abandoned you," Aragorn accused.

I shot him a look. "No. I was a coward. I wasn't always this adventurous." I sighed and felt a tug at my heart. "Perhaps if I had trusted him, we would have married. I don't know. All I know is that I kick myself every day for letting him go."

Suddenly Grimm raised his head, his amber eyes glaring into the darkness. Aragorn leapt to his feet as the wind began to howl around us. "Wolves!" he cried out. "The Wargs have come west of the Mountains!"

I picked Grimm up and ran to the Hobbits. I gave my cat to Pippin and notched an arrow to my bow. Legolas was at my back with his bow and Elven eyes. Gimli growled as he hefted his axe. "How far is Moria?" Boromir asked.

"Some fifteen miles as the crow flies and maybe twenty as the wolf runs," Gandalf answered grimly.

I glanced up at the half-moon. "It's too dark to move now." I had seen enough horror movies to know that the Wargs would pick us off one by one if we ran through the night.

"Agreed," Boromir said. "Let us start as soon as it is light tomorrow, if we can. The Wolf that one hears is worse than the Orc that one fears."

Aragorn withdrew his sword. "But where the Wolf howls, there also the Orc prowls!"

"I'd like to point out now that your words aren't exactly uplifting," I admonished them sharply. "I have no intention of becoming wolf-chow or the sport of Orcs." Ugh, cue those freaky pictures!

 

Aragorn POV

The howling of wolves was now all around us, sometimes nearer and sometimes further off. In the dead of night many shining eyes were seen peering over the brow of the hill. Some advanced almost to the ring of stones. At a gap in the circle a great dark wolf-shape could be seen halted, gazing at us. Beside me, Nicolette gasped and drew back her bow.

Before she could, Gandalf strode forward and cried, "Listen, Hound of Sauron! Gandalf is here. Fly, if you value your foul skin! I will shrivel you from tail to snout, if you come within the ring!"

The Warg snarled and leapt forward, foul eyes trained on the girl at my side.

There were two sharp twangs. Both Legolas and Nicolette released their arrows. The lighter arrow, belonging to Legolas, hit the Warg in the throat while Nicolette's darker arrow went into the foul canines' right eye. With a hideous yell, the beast fell to the ground dead.

The howls seemed to double. I drew Nicolette behind me and felt her shaking like a leaf.

"Fling fuel on the fire!" cried Gandalf to the Hobbits. "Draw your blades and stand back!"

The Wargs attacked.

 

There was a reason I was a cat-person. When I was four, a neighbor's Great Dane had chased me from school all the way home. And when I was seven, I was bit by my great-uncle's sheep dog. And now I was facing down a pack of giant wolves.

There was a reason why I was a cat-person.

My bow and Legolas's bow sang as we loosed off arrow after arrow. Aragorn, Gimli and Boromir were hacking away with cries and yells. The Hobbits were feeding the fire, surly as frightened as I was. And the Gandalf seemed to grow tall in his anger. In a voice like thunder, he shouted, "Naur an edraith ammen! Naur dan i ngaurhoth!"

The whole valley erupted into flame. The Wargs yipped and howled and tucked tail as they ran away from the Wizard's ire more fearsome than fire. Legolas let loose a last arrow which killed the wolf-chieftain. All others fled.

Slowly the fire died until nothing was left but falling ash and sparks.

"That was an eye-opener and no mistake!" Sam crowed, breaking the silence.

I turned to Gandalf. "That was, hands down, the most awesome thing I have ever seen!"

Aragorn caught my shoulders and spun me until I faced him. His hands cupped my face as he inspected me. "Are you injured?" he asked softly, but firmly.

I shook my head. "Just shaken. That was my first dog-fight."

We both chuckled at the lame joke.


	13. When a Giant Calamari Dish Attacks

"The Walls of Moria!"

I stared at the vast expanse of grey stone. "Whoa. Where's the gate?"

"Dwarf doors are invisible when closed," Gimli replied, tapping the stone with his ax. "Even their own masters can't find them if their secrets are lost."

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Legolas muttered behind me. I gently nudged him in the ribs and gave him a stern look.

Frodo's foot slipped into the dark pool and his hand lashed out to grasp my arm. I caught him and pulled him away from the foul water. I pushed Merry and Pippin ahead of me and walked with Sam and Bill the pony. Aragorn was just a pace behind me, his breath a warm reminder that he was there.

Gandalf stopped at a point where the wall was smooth and stood between two trees. He ran a hand over the place and whispered. "Ithildin… It mirrors only starlight and moonlight…"

The clouds overhead parted and moonbeams shone down upon us and the wall glowed a silver-blue as the doorway was revealed.

I gasped at the marvelous beauty and placed a hand over the Evenstar.

"It reads, 'the Doors of Durin, Lord of Moria. Speak, friend, and enter'."

"What does that mean?" Merry asked.

"Well, it's quite simple," Gandalf said. "If you are a friend you speak the password and the doors will open." He placed his staff on the door and said, "Annon Edhellen edro hi ammen!"

Nothing happened.

"Fennas Nogothrim lasto beth lammen!" Again, nothing.

"Now what?" I asked pertly.

"I'll knock your head against these rocks, Nicolette Meadows!" the Wizard snapped. "If that does not shatter them, then I am allowed a moments peace from foolish questions!"

I ducked my head and hid a smile. "It sounds a bit like a riddle to me."

Hey, if it meant bypassing that freaky octopus thing in the lake, I was glad to speed things up!

"She's right!" Frodo said. "What's the Elvish word for friend?"

"Mellon," Gandalf replied automatically.

With a giant rumble, the Doors opened.

"How did you know that?" Sam asked me.

I shrugged. "I said it sounded like a riddle. I didn't think it actually was." Lies!

We started forward into the mines. I kept my eye on the Hobbits and made sure my bow was ready in my hand.

"Soon, Master Elf, you will sample the fabled hospitality of the Dwarves!" Gimli said enthusiastically. "Roaring fires! Mulled beer! Red meat off the bone! This, my friends, is the home of my cousin Balin and they call it a mine. A mine!"

My foot crunched down on something and my stomach lurched. Boromir saw what it was first and he pulled me back. "This is no mine," he gasped, "it's a tomb!"

I had stepped on a skeleton's spine.

Oh my God!

"No!" Gimli howled. Grimm hissed and cowered in Pippin's arms.

Legolas pulled an arrow out of a still-rotting corpse. "Goblins!" he spat. He and I drew our bows while Aragorn, Boromir and Gandalf drew their swords.

"We make for the Gap of Rohan," Boromir said. "We should never have come here."

"Get out of here," Gandalf said. "Get out!"

Uh oh…

"Strider!"

We all spun around at Sam's shout. Well, so much for my brilliant plan. The Watcher in the Lake decided for some late-night Hobbit anyway. Aragorn leapt forward and sliced off the tentacle that was dragging Frodo by the ankle towards the lake.

"Get back, get back!" I screamed at them, dropping my bow and pulling Merry and Pippin back into the… 'safety' of the mines.

Too late.

Dozens of slimy tentacles attacked, one slapping across my face. It stung, perhaps more than it should, and I reeled backwards. I slipped and fell hard on my side as Frodo was jerked up into the air by his ankle. Determined little squid, eh?

Aragorn and Boromir rushed into the lake, hacking at the writhing tentacles. Gimli hoisted me up and handed me my bow. I notched and arrow and aimed, but didn't dare shoot for fear of accidentally hitting one of my friends.

The beast reared its ugly head and I had a clear shot. I fired and my arrow hit the monster where its nose should have been. That just made it angry and Frodo was still an airborne meal. Aragorn sliced the tentacle holding the Hobbit and he fell into Boromir's arms.

"Into the mines!" Gandalf roared!

"Nicolette!" Aragorn yelled. "Aim for the eyes!"

I took aim and fired. The arrow missed Aragorn's face by inches and imbedded itself in one of the soulless black eyes. Boromir caught my arm as they passed by and pulled me into the mines. I heard a loud rumbling and then the doors collapsed, sealing us in.


	14. Middle-Earth's Haunted House

The darkness was stifling. It pressed in all around me and I wanted to scream. I could feel the Hobbits shaking behind me and Grimm pawing ay my sleeve. Then Gandalf lit his staff. "We now have only one choice," he said grimly. "We must face the black depths of Moria."

"Awesome," I muttered, shouldering my bow. "Anything we should expect?"

Gandalf looked around. "I know not. But be on your guard. There are darker and foul beings in the deep places of the world."

"We should check for wounds first," Boromir suggested, lighting a torch. "Frodo? How fares your leg?"

I touched my cheek the squid had slapped- comical- and winced as I felt raw skin. "Awesome," I muttered under my breath.

"Are you injured?" Aragorn asked, sneaking up behind me. Again.

A small peep of fear escaped me and I glared at him. "You know, one of these days, I'm gonna accidentally punch you for sneaking up on me."

Smiling slightly, Aragorn touched my left cheek and I winced again. He pulled me closer to the torchlight and inspected the damage. "It looks like it caught you with a suction cup."

"Gross," I muttered. "Didn't even buy me a drink." Ugh, now I was quoting Hellboy. Wonderful.

Aragorn didn't appreciate the joke. "I have athelas; I will make a paste." He took out his waterskin.

I caught his wrist. "No way!"

He gave me a quelling look. "Nicolette…"

"The water has to last us to the other side," I argued. "We can't afford to waste any of it. I'll be fine; it's just a little sting."

Aragorn's fingers brushed my raw skin and I felt a shiver run up my spine. It wasn't an altogether unpleasant feeling. "I want you to stay strong," he whispered, grey eyes pouring into my brown ones.

I reached up and grasped his hand. "That will never change," I murmured with a smile. He smiled softly back and we stayed that way until Gandalf called for us to start moving.

 

Legolas POV

The relationship between Aragorn and Nikki was growing.

It had not escaped my notice when he had tried to see to her cheek. In truth, it was a mere bruise, but he acted as though it were a fatal blow. It was…amusing and heart-warming at the same time. I was glad my friend was moving on from the Lady Arwen. And Nikki always gave Aragorn the warmest of smiles.

As we set out we passed more Dwarf skeletons, all in varying forms of showing having died in great pain and torture. Gimli was silent and I felt guilty for antagonizing him. Nikki, too, was silent as she stared wide-eyed at the skeletons. She held Grimm in her arms and kept close to the Hobbits.

"It would be easier if you did not stare," I said helpfully.

"Yeah," she agreed. "But I've been corrupted by too many haunted houses to not."

"Haunted houses?" Pippin squeaked.

"They're not really haunted," she explained, shuddering as we passed a corpse pinned to the wall. "It's just something people put on during October. Make money off of scaring people."

"And you went to these establishments?" Boromir asked incredulously.

"Everything they had was fake," Nikki said. "Fake blood, fake bodies, fake everything. My friends and I went to them every year. It was…fun."

"Fun to be scared?" Sam muttered.

"Yeah, the adrenaline rush was awesome. You'd come out laughing."

"But you would be surrounded by dead things," Frodo said.

"Fake dead things. Made to look real."

"How real?" Merry asked with tredpidation.

"Well, I used to think they did a good job at it," Nikki said, eyeing a rotting corpse. "But, um…now-now I don't think so."

"How did you get through the haunted houses?" Frodo asked.

"My friends and I held hands," Nikki gulped. "And, um, told ourselves repeatedly that what we saw wasn't real."

Frodo smiled and slipped his hand into hers. "Holding hands is easy enough." Sam took Nikki's other hand and Merry's while Pippin took Frodo's other hand.

Nikki smiled. "Thanks, guys. But if any killer clowns or snakes pop out, you're on your own." The Company chuckled. "No, I'm serious. I'm deathly afraid of anything that slithers and clowns are creepy."

"We shall protect you from them, my lady," Boromir said warmly.

 

I jerked awake when I felt a hand on my shoulder. For a long moment, all I saw was darkness. But then my eyes adjusted and I could make out the faint outline of Aragorn leaning over me. "You were tossing in your sleep," he whispered.

I grimaced and sat up. "I saw the Wolves," I admitted in a small voice.

Aragorn frowned. I sighed and wrapped my cloak tight around me. He helped me stand and we sat down where he had been keeping watch. "How long have you been having nightmares?"

I was silent for a moment. "I don't know. Usually I can't remember my dreams. And when a nightmares comes…I can wake myself up." I shivered. "But I couldn't this time."

Aragorn hesitantly scooted closer. "You have been through much, Nicolette. It is natural for you to nightmares."

I looked up at him. "Do you have nightmares?" I shook my head. "Um, sorry. Stupid question."

He caught my hand. "Yes, I have nightmares."

The confession startled me. "You do?"

He looked at me. "Everyone has nightmares, Nicolette." I blushed stupidly. "You blush. Why?"

I ducked my head. "I guess I kinda thought you were immune to what we mere mortals suffer from."

"I am as mortal as you are."

"Yeah, but… I dunno. You seem too noble to feel…" I caught myself fan-girling. "I mean!" I kicked myself mentally. "That came out wrong. You-you are noble. I just meant…"

"Nicolette," he whispered, placing a finger over my lips. I swallowed hard. "Hush."

"Okay."

His grey eyes stared into my soul and I was frozen in place. His hand moved from my mouth to cup my face. His thumb touched my cheek and sent pleasant shivers down my spine. Aragorn leaned forward, tilting my head to the side a bit.

I could almost feel his lips on my skin…

"Up and at 'em, lassie!"

This time I actually woke up, but it wasn't Aragorn. Gimli was kneeling beside me, scratching Grimm's chin affectionately. "Time to move out again."

I groaned and mentally slapped myself. Sweet Nutella, but I had officially gone insane!


	15. Blisters and Rats

Off-limits!

But he's single.

Off-limits!

Availability…

So out of your league!

Illegally, smexy voice…

I was so in need of help.

 

Frodo POV

Nikki was uncharacteristically silent as we continued our way through Moria. And I wasn't so sure it was because of the hundreds of Dwarf bodies scattered around the mines anymore. She was avoiding Aragorn, not looking at him and only mumbling when he spoke to her.

And she would blush. As red as Sam when he would think about Rosie Cotton.

"What's wrong with the lass?" Gimli muttered at the back of the group.

"I think she's sick," Merry replied in hushed tones. "Do you think it's her cheek?"

"I'm pretty sure it's something else," I murmured. Nikki could hardly look Aragorn in the eye just after he was starting to pay attention to her.

She was falling in love.

 

"Nikki, come help an old man," Gandalf called from the front.

I rolled my eyes. "Need a hip replacement, old man?"

He leaned on me. "How are you?"

"Well, I could use some fresh air," I said pertly. "And a bath would be great. Other than that, can't complain."

"Is that true?"

I looked up at him. "Okay, here's something I've always wondered; can you read minds?"

He chuckled. "And if I can?"

That wasn't a denial… Oops.

 

Aragorn POV

She was avoiding me.

The knowledge of this hurt more than I would have liked. But I was also confused; why was she avoiding me? Had I done something to upset her? Perhaps I was too forward when looking at her cheek.

Damn these feelings I had!

I would speak to her. I would not risk her friendship for a feeling of attraction that she did not welcome. I found it slightly pathetic that I craved her company. It had not been the same with Arwen. While I had admired the Elven Lady, I came to realize that what we shared was not love. For this, she scorned me until her last days in Middle-Earth.

I looked at Nicolette, who was conversing quietly with Gandalf at the head of the party. Would she leave once this quest was accomplished? Did she have a choice in the matter?

"Speak to her," Boromir muttered beside me.

I grimaced. Did he seek to tell me what I already knew?

"Do not presume to understand what a woman wants," he continued. "You will only hurt yourself. Tell her what you wish for. If she rejects you, well, at least you will know."

"And if she were to accept?"

Boromir smirked. "Then I beg of you to keep your affections for each other at bear minimum."

I rolled my eyes, but saw the logic in his words. However, if Nicolette were to reject me… I sighed. "We are on a quest to destroy an ancient evil. What I feel is inconsequential."

"Then stop looking like a boy with his first heartache."

 

My feet ached as I sat down on the ground for the night. I unlaced my boots and pulled them off. The cold mine air was oddly soothing and I groaned. I had a blister forming below my left big toe and another one between my pinky toe and ring toe. I looked at my right foot and found a blister on my ankle.

"Awesome," I snarled, slamming my boot down. The Company looked at me and I glared back. "What? Never saw a girl get irritated before?" They looked away.

I immediately felt bad, but I didn't apologize. Moria was not my favorite place and we still had another day of hiking. I shivered when I remembered what waited for us; goblins, a cave troll and the butterfly from hell Balrog.

Okay, if the Balrog looked like the Ralph Bakshi cartoon, I was gonna be the one to take it down.

Aragorn sat down beside me and held out a small roll of cloth and a vial of green oil. "For your feet," he replied to my raised eyebrow. He extended his hand to my foot in question.

So much for my avoiding him.

I gave him my right foot and he uncorked the vial. He rubbed the oil over my blisters, hands careful and, well, magic. The oil hissed slightly and my whole leg jerked. "Ow!"

Aragorn caught my ankle in a firm grip. "It will only sting for a moment." He started to bind my foot with the cloth.

I watched him shyly. The silence was awkward between us. He glanced up at me, his grey eyes catching my brown ones and I quickly looked down.

"Nicolette," he said, taking my other foot. "If I have offended you in any way, I apologize most profusely…"

"You didn't do anything," I said. I cursed my blush. "I just… It's complicated. And something I need to get over." Like I could.

Aragorn looked up at me again. "Then why avoid me?" He grimaced and hunched his shoulders a fraction. "I value your friendship, Nicolette Meadows."

I grimaced too. "I'm sorry. And I like being your friend. Things are just weird. Especially now."

"Why now?"

"Well, you've been holding my foot for a while."

We both looked down. His fingers were tracing lines over the top of my foot and circling my heel. He froze when he realized this and cleared his throat. He glanced back up at me and saw me smiling impishly. Aragorn sighed. "You will never let me forgot this, will you?"

I laughed softly. "Never."

 

Dinner was flatbread and the last of the apples. I mashed half of my portion in a bowl and gave it Grimm. It wasn't good for him, but I didn't want him to starve. The dark tom didn't even bother to sniff the concoction. He turned his nose up at it and slinked away.

"Grimm," I began to call him back, but Aragorn placed a hand on my shoulder. "Let him be. There are rats here."

I shuddered and pulled my legs closer to my body. "Rats?"

"Aye," Gimli said. "Big ones, too."

I gulped and scooted closer to Aragorn. "How-how big are we talking?"

"Well, I've seen an adult get as big as…say a Hobbit's foot."

Oh Hell.

Oh save me.

Please don't let me die here and have rats eat my face.

"Stop it," Sam said. "Can't you see you're scaring her?"

"I'm not scared," I protested weakly.

"Nicolette, I cannot feel my fingers," Aragorn said calmly.

I looked down and saw that I was crushing his hand. "Oh. Sorry." I let him go.

"I never took you as one to be frightened of rats," Legolas said.

"I found a dead one under the couch back home," I said flatly. "I'm scarred for life."

"But it was dead," Boromir said.

"I slept on the couch."

I felt Aragorn chuckle and realized that I had my back pressed against his side. "It's not funny."

"Your expression is."

I gave him a hard look, but ended up smiling and leaning completely against him and closed my eyes. For just that second, I could pretend that we weren't going to be in a fight tomorrow.


	16. Balin's Tomb

"I have no memory of this place."

I could have just pointed to the left door, but then that would have just raised a bunch of questions I did not want to answer. So I swallowed my fear- not really- and rested my back against the rock. Aragorn sat next to me and rested his head against the wall and closed his eyes. Grimm meowed and stepped into his lap and curled up there. The Ranger didn't open his eyes, but his hand came up to stroke Grimm's back.

I smiled and gently leaned against his arm. "He trusts you."

"Yes. Is that strange?"

"No," I replied honestly. "But he'll expect you to protect me from now on."

"That is one task I shall be glad to ensure," he murmured faintly. A moment later he was asleep. I smiled at him and placed my cloak over him. Grimm purred and followed the Ranger into unconsciousness.

"This place," Sam sighed. "It's so gloomy."

"Twas not always so," Gimli said. "Of old it was not darkstone, but full of light and splendor, as is still remembered in our songs."

"Would you sing for us, Gimli?" I asked quietly.

He stood, bowed and began to chant.

The world was young, the mountains green,

No stain yet on the Moon was seen,

No words were laid on stream or stone

When Durin woke and walked alone.

He named the nameless hills and dells;

He drank from yet untasted wells;

He stooped and looked in Mirrormere,

And saw a crown of stars appear,

As gems upon a silver thread,

Above the shadow of his head.

The world was fair, the mountains tall,

In Elder Days before the fall

Of mighty kings in Nargothrond

And Gondolin, who now beyond

The Western Seas have passed away:

The world was fair in Durin's Day.

A king he was on carven throne

In many-pillared halls of stone

With golden roof and silver floor,

And runes of power upon the door.

The light of sun and star and moon

In shining lamps of crystal hewn

Undimmed by cloud or shade of night

There shone forever fair and bright.

There hammer on the anvil smote,

There chisel clove, and graver wrote;

There forged was blade, and bound was hilt;

The delver mined, the mason built.

There beryl, pearl, and opal pale,

And metal wrought like fishes' mail,

Buckler and corselet, axe and sword,

And shining spears were laid in hoard.

Unwearied then were Durin's folk;

Beneath the mountains music woke:

The harpers harped, the minstrels sang,

And at the gates the trumpets rang.

The world is grey, the mountains old,

The forge's fire is ashen-cold;

No harp is wrung, no hammer falls:

The darkness dwells in Durin's halls;

The shadow lies upon his tomb

In Moria, in Khazad-dûm.

But still the sunken stars appear

In dark and windless Mirrormere;

There lies his crown in water deep,

Till Durin wakes again from sleep.

"I like that," Sam said in a hushed voice. "I should like to learn it. In Moria, in Khazad-dûm! But it makes the darkness seem heavier, thinking of all those lamps. Are there piles of gold and jewels lying about here still?"

But Gimli was silent now that his song was done.

"I doubt it, Sam," I said sadly. "The Orcs and Goblins have pillaged these halls for a long time."

"Then why do the Dwarves return?"

"For mithril, of course," I answered. "Moria-silver. As light as a feather and as hard as dragon scales, or so they say. The beauty of mithril cannot be dimmed or tarnished. And didn't Bilbo have a corselet of mithril-rings that Thorin gave him?"

"What?" cried Gimli, shocked out of his silence. "That was a kingly gift!"

I nodded. "I wonder what has become of it. Probably still in the Shire somewhere. Do you know, that mithril shirt is probably worth greater than the whole of the Shire?" I shot Frodo and amused glance and he blushed, shifting slightly.

We settled into silence again. Gandalf sat before the three doors, smoking his pipe. After a while, Frodo suddenly got up and joined him. I tensed, realizing that Gollum was nearby. I looked over at Grimm, still asleep in Aragorn's lap, and swore that if that loathsome monster so much as touched my cat, he would find an arrow between his eyes. Screw the consequences.

"Oh!" Gandalf called suddenly. "It's that way!"

"He's remembered!" Merry crowed.

I touched Aragorn's shoulder and shook him gently. He opened his eyes and blinked up at me. "Time to go," I said, standing and holding a hand out to him.

Grimm woke up and followed the Hobbits. Aragorn took my hand and stood. He caught my cloak as it fell from his body and looked at me. "I did not mean to sleep."

"You were tired," I murmured. "You need sleep, Aragorn. You're not invincible."

He smiled faintly and fixed my cloak back around my shoulders. "Hannon le," he whispered, his voice making my insides melt again.

"What does that mean?"

He grinned. "It means 'thank you', my lady."

I smiled back. "You're welcome, kind sir."

Grimm came back and gave an accusing meow, amber eyes all but glaring at us. Aragorn followed after the group. I glared at my cat. "You do know it's a few years too late for a virgin alarm, right?"

He just licked his paw and swiped it over his ear. I sighed and followed after everyone else.

 

"Let me risk a little more light," Gandalf whispered. The light of his staff grew until we were all bathed in white rays. "Behold! The great Dwarven city of Dwarrowdelf!"

I gasped and took a step back at the glorious sight. My back hit Aragorn's chest and his hands came up to grasp my shoulders. "It's beautiful!" I whispered, staring at the gigantic cathedral-like space. This was probably what an ant felt like.

Aragorn's hands squeezed my shoulders. I looked up at him and he gazed down at me. His face was illuminated by the Wizard's light; thrown into ethereal relief. For a moment, he truly did look like the great king I knew he would become.

I realized that I had been staring at him for a long time and looked quickly away, blushing like a school girl. Aragorn's hands dropped and I cursed in my head. Why did I always feel so weird around this man?!

The Fellowship set out once more. The Hobbits walked around me, Grimm settled in Sam's arms. The Goblin stench was nearly stifling. I glanced up at the ceiling, but didn't see anything stirring in the holes I saw. I shivered and tightened my grip on my bow.

Gimli suddenly broke away from the group with a horrified shout.

"Gimli!" Gandalf and I cried. I took off after the Dwarf, skidding to a halt behind him as he sank to his knees before the white marble tomb.

"No," he moaned. "No! Oh, no…"

"Oh, Gimli," I whispered, placing my hands on his shoulders. "I'm so sorry." I knelt and wrapped my arms around him as he sobbed out a Dwarven prayer.

 

Aragorn POV

Nicolette looked up at us as we entered the chamber. Her eyes shined with tears in the blue-white light that haloed her as she comforted Gimli in his grief. The sight broke my heart, but all I could do was stand there and hold her gaze.

"Here lies Balin, son of Fundin, lord of Moria," Gandalf read. "He is dead then."

"It is as I feared," Frodo sighed.

Gandalf handed his staff and hat to Pippin and picked up a dusty book from a fallen skeleton. Nicolette stood up as Boromir took her place consoling Gimli. She looked scared; her face was pale and her brown eyes wide. Sweat beaded on her brow and her grip on her bow was nearly enough to snap it in half.

"We must move on," Legolas muttered, seeming just as on-edge as Nicolette. "We cannot linger."

"I'm inclined to agree with Legolas," Nicolette spoke up. She walked over to Pippin, who was inspecting a skeleton perched precariously on top of a well. "Let's go before something bad happens."

"How do you know that something bad will happen?" Boromir asked with narrowed eyes.

"It seems that something bad has already happened," Merry shivered.

"Trust me, guys," she said, waving an expressive hand. "At a point like this in every story, everything will fall to shit. Let's just go. The Bridge isn't that far, right Gandalf?"

"True," Gandalf murmured, flipping through the dirty tome. "Perhaps haste is needed."

Nicolette seemed extremely relieved. She smiled and steered Pippin back to his kin.

"Nikki, watch out…!" Frodo's warning came too late and Nicolette's right foot caught on the chain coiled on the ground. She crashed to the ground. I surged forward as the chain jerked and the bucket fell into the well. There was a second's heartbeat and then the whole skeleton fell with it.

 

I stayed on the ground, unable to believe what had just happened.

Because I had just sealed Gandalf the Grey's death warrant.

I looked up at the Wizard with wide eyes. He stared at me in stunned disbelief as the skeleton clanged and crashed for what seemed like an eternity. Seriously, how deep was that well?!

Arms slipped under mine and pulled me to my clumsy feet. I turned around and looked at Aragorn. "I didn't…" I began in a small voice.

He put his fingers to my lips. "We know."

Boom…

It started out very quiet, for something that promised bloodshed and horror.

Boom.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

BOOM!

"Frodo!" Sam gasped. Frodo pulled Sting out and the blade glowed blue.

Then the screeching started.

"Orcs!" Legolas spat.

"Barricade the door!" Aragorn shouted, pulling me protectively behind him. Then there was an echoing blast: a great horn was blown in the hall and answering horns and harsh cries were heard further off. There was a hurrying sound of many feet.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The walls shook. I squeaked in fear and clung to Aragorn. His hands clasped my shoulders, forcing me to look up into his grey eyes.

"You must fight now, Nicolette," he said in a rush. "You must fight and live." His eyes seem to almost add, 'or I will die beside you', but that was silly of me to think. Stupid hormones wouldn't give me a break even when I was about to take part in my first battle ever!

I drew my bow and knocked an arrow, aiming it at the door that Boromir and Legolas had barricade. Aragorn stood with his back to mine, his Ranger's bow at the ready. I glanced at him and caught him staring. A bead of sweat rolled down my temple.

And then the doors jerked as bodies hit it. Something big roared.

"They have a cave troll," Boromir cursed.

"Rawr!" Gimli snarled, standing atop Balin's tomb. "Let them come! There is still one Dwarf in Moria who still draws breath!"

The Orcs started hacking away at the door. As soon as a hole was big enough, Aragorn and Legolas loosed their arrows, their aim true. And then the door burst. Orcs are far uglier than what the movies portrayed them to be. And about ten times as scary. My first arrow caught an Orc in the chest. My second joined Legolas's in the left eye socket of another.

"Nikki, get to higher ground!" Legolas shouted as the Orcs came too close for arrows.

I turned and bolted up to the second level. Aragorn and Sam covered the stairwell as I positioned myself next to a pillar and fired down into the thicket of monsters.

Enter the cave troll. Looked just about the same as the movie. Smelled like dog vomit in cat litter on the hottest day of the year. But I had bigger problems- well, more pressing problems. While Aragorn and Sam had been distracted by the cave troll, Orcs flew past them towards me. Taking a leaf from Legolas's book, I stabbed the first Orc with my arrow, spun around to dodge its falling corpse and then shot the same arrow through the second Orc's face.

However, the third Orc grabbed my bow hand and threw me against the wall. My head cracked against the mountain stone and I cried out in agony when the Orc bit down on my shoulder.

"Taste so very nice!" it hissed, my blood running down its chin. "Maybe I'll keep ya for some sport!"

"So you're a guy, huh?" I growled. "Good to know." And I stabbed him with a fallen Dwarf sword in the Golden Spot before shoving him over the side and directly into the cave troll's lumbering path. Crunch.

Uh.

Cave troll?

It had seen me and, boy, was it pissed. It raised its club and swung down at me. I bolted to the left and back down the stairs. The cave troll swung again at me and I ducked, pushing an Orc to take my place as a target.

Gimli was suddenly at my back. "How're you holding up, lass?"

"Honestly?" I shouted, killing another Orc over his head. "I could do without fighting today. And every day."

He laughed and threw an ax into the fray. "I think yer got the hang of it!"

"Aragorn! Nikki!"

I spun around to see Frodo being held upside down by the cave troll. I got mad. I dropped my bow and grabbed two Dwarven axes and charged the beast. I hacked into the cave troll's legs and it screamed in pain and dropped Frodo. Then Aragorn was there, stabbing at the troll with an Orcish pike. I ran over to Frodo. "Get out of here!" I told him.

Aragorn flew over our heads, crashed into the wall and slumped to the ground.

"Aragorn!" I cried, bolting to his side. "Aragorn, wake up!"

The cave troll bared down upon us, pike in hand.

I only had one ax left. I stood and squared off against the beast. It roared at me and I roared in retaliation and hacked at its legs again. It kicked me back and I felt at least two of my ribs crack as I fell beside my Ranger. I lost a sense of time for a while, but when I came back. Aragorn was kneeling beside me and Frodo was massaging his side.

Everything was silent.

"Tell me we won," I groaned.

Aragorn nodded and helped me stand. "We won."

"As it is," Boromir grunted. "But more will come."

I limped over to where the cave troll lay dead and kicked it for the sake of my pride. "Great. Can we…" I gagged violently and doubled-over. I willed myself not to vomit. Merry and Pippin rushed to my side, both very pale and shaking. I straightened up and wiped my streaming eyes. "I'm fine," I murmured. "I'm fine, I just… Where's Grimm?"

Everyone looked up.

Panic settled in my heart. "Grimm?! Come here, baby!"

Nothing. Silence.

"Oh God," I gasped. My knees gave out from under me and I crashed to the ground. "Oh God, oh God, oh God!"

Mrow.

Grimm pounced onto the cave-troll's body, none the worse for wear. A hysterical cry escaped my lips and he bounded into my arms. I clutched him to my heart, sobbing into his dusty fur.

"Thank the Valar," Boromir sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

I looked up at Gandalf. "We should really leave this place now."

"Agreed," Gimli growled with a sad look towards Balin's now desecrated tomb.

"Seconded," Legolas said, helping me to my feet once more. He put Grimm in my pack and made sure the clasp was secure.

There was more screeching down in the tunnels and we all tensed up.

"To the Bridge of Khazad-dûm!" Gandalf ordered.

 

Aragorn POV

We were running. Running from the Orcs and Goblins that threatened to kill us and possibly eat us afterwards. And then we were surrounded. I pressed myself against Nicolette's side; ready to defend her until my last breath. I would not see her used as sport for these foul creatures. I could feel her body shaking against mine as she drew her sword.

She looked up at me and I cursed the magic that had brought her to this world. To this dark fate.

Rrrrrawwrrrr.

Nicolette's head whipped around to stare at the deep noise. A fiery light began to consume the Dwarf pillars of the Dwarrowdelf. The Orcs screamed and bolted, leaving us alone to scurry into their holes.

"Aw, man," Nicolette whimpered, a bead of sweat rolling down her right temple.

"What is this new devilry?" Boromir asked Gandalf.

"A Balrog," the Wizard replied resignedly. "A demon of the ancient world. This foe is beyond any of you. Run!"

 

"You cannot pass!"

Frodo whirled around. "Gandalf!" I flung my arms out to stop him from running back to his friend. I hated myself for it.

"I am the Servant of the Secret Fire, Wielder of the Flame of Anor! The Dark Fire will not avail you, Flame of Udûn!" Gandalf's voice was like nothing I had ever heard before. He was suddenly more than a Wizard. "Go back to the shadow!"

The Balrog roared again and cracked its whip.

"YOU! SHALL NOT! PASS!" He slammed his staff down upon the bridge and it cracked under the Balrog's feet. It fell, roaring in fury. And it dragged Gandalf down with it.

"Fly, you fools!"

"No!" Frodo screamed. I looked to Boromir and he nodded, pulling the other Hobbits away.

"Aragorn," I called, fighting to keep Frodo from running back to the bridge. "Aragorn, you must lead us!"

He turned to look at me with veiled eyes.

"We are lost without you," I whispered.

He blinked, nodded and surged forward.

 

Legolas POV

There were two Orcs guarding the exit of the mines. One saw us coming and knocked and arrow. The black bolt sailed past my ear and I flinched, but shot the Orc between the eyes despite.

"Nikki!" Pippin's squeal had my blood running cold.

I whirled around, fearful for our fair companion. The Orcish arrow was protruding from her left shoulder. She was clutching at her limb with a pain-filled expression on her stained face. "Keep going!" she gasped at the Hobbits.

Gimli swore, as his kin was fraught to do. He picked the girl up in his arms and jogged out of the mines like she was not three heads taller than he. The Dwarven fortitude once again surprised me. He truly was his father's son. But I quickly swept aside such thoughts from my mind. Nikki and Frodo were hurt and we were not yet safe.

And we had lost our Wizard.


	17. Tripping On Orc Poison

When we had finally made it far enough from Moria, I called a halt to our fleeing. I needed to check on Frodo. But when I turned, I saw that the Hobbits were crowded around Gimli, who was holding Nicolette in his arms.

And she had a black bolt in her shoulder.

"What happened?" I demanded, striding over to them.

"The Orc at the exit shot her," Legolas replied, already pulling bandages out of his pack. "Come; we must pull it out."

Nicolette started crying and her whimpers broke my heart. I knelt beside her and held her other hand. She gripped it tightly until I was sure my bones would crack. Boromir pulled out his belt and fit it between her teeth. Gimli held her legs down as Legolas readied to pull the arrow out.

"Close your eyes," I whispered in her ear. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face into my chest.

"Three," Legolas counted. "Two… One." He yanked the arrow out and Nicolette let out a muffled scream. Her right leg bucked, her boot clipping Gimli's chin.

I pulled her fully into my arms and she spat Boromir's belt out. "Shh," I soothed her, stroking her russet hair that had long since escaped its braid. "It is over now. I'm here," I added in an undertone that only she could hear. And Legolas, but he didn't react or say anything but for a slight twitch of his lips.

But Nicolette's tears would not stop, even when Grimm started rubbing against her. Her pain now gave way to grief, as it did with us all. Gandalf was gone; we had lost a very dear friend. I wanted to hold Nicolette until winter passed into spring and even until summer. But I was now leader of the Fellowship- if we were still that- and I had responsibilities to tend to. I regretfully pulled away from her and looked to Frodo, who had a lost far-away look in his eyes. "Come, Frodo, I must see to your wounds."

"I am fine," the Hobbit protested weakly.

"Mr Frodo, that troll hit you with enough force to skewer a wild boar!" Sam squeaked. "Honestly, you should let Strider look at you."

The Halfling didn't fight me off as I sat him down and opened his shirt. I pulled back with a startled chuckle. "Well! Look, my friends! Here's a pretty hobbit-skin to wrap an Elven-princeling in! If it were known that Hobbits had such hides, all the hunters in Middle-Earth would ride to the Shire."

Nicolette gazed at Frodo in wonder. "Mithril! Or I'm blind."

"Nay, it is mithril," Gimli gasped. "As light as a feather and as hard as dragon scales. The very same corselet Thorin gave Bilbo, correct?"

"Yes," Frodo said with a small smile. "He gave it to me before we set out."

Nicolette laughed and wiped her eyes. "Bless that old Hobbit! I love him even more now."

Frodo reached over and patted her hand. "Don't cry, Nikki! I am well."

"I can't help it," she sobbed, pulling him into a tight hug. Then she winced and pulled away, clutching her arm. "Why is it always me?"

 

My shoulder burned as I tried to shrug out of my Elvish vest. I bit my lip to stifle any sound of discomfort, but there was someone keeping a very close watch over me. Aragorn knelt down behind me and helped take off my vest.

"Will you allow me to look at it?" he asked quietly.

I nodded and shifted my shirt down over my shoulder. The Ranger cleared his throat uncomfortably. "It…It might be easier if…your shirt was not on."

Sweet Nutella, I would be making jokes if I didn't feel like crap. Instead, I just shot him a half-hearted smirk over my shoulder before gingerly pulling my shirt over my head, leaving me in a thin chemise shirt and my bright red bra.

Aragorn made a funny noise before applying the herb paste he had whipped up to my shoulder. I hissed in a breath as my wound stung. Aragorn sat down with one leg at my side and his chest lightly brushing against my back.

Lean into him.

No! That would hurt!

Would so be worth it.

So not the right time for this. Gandalf just died!

He'll come back; it's fine.

They don't know that.

They could…

Oh, Hell to the no! I am not going there!

Then cozy up to your Ranger! He thinks his friend is dead. He'll respond to some physical contact.

I groaned, hating myself.

"Am I hurting you?" Aragorn whispered. Damn illegal smexy voice.

"No," I assured him quickly. "It's just… My inner voice doesn't have an off switch."

His lips twitched upwards. "And why would you wish your inner voice silent?"

I bit my lip. "It just spouts…random, um, stuff. Very distracting stuff- Ouch!"

"Sorry!" he said, whipping his hand back. "You should be fine now."

I needed to give at least one tease. "Can I put my shirt back on?"

"You should let the solution dry first," he replied with a hint of a blush. Score.

Okay, my inner voice at this point had won. Either that, or I had thrown common sense out the window. I sighed and leaned against him, closing my eyes. "How far is it to Lothlorien?"

Aragorn had stiffened slightly under me, but his hand did touch my uninjured shoulder. "If we hurry, we can reach the borders before nightfall."

I nodded, suddenly feeling very sleepy. "What was in that paste?"

"A mixture of oak and feverfew. Why do you ask?"

"…feel funny…" I mumbled. "M' shoulder stings…"

Whoa, what was happening?! I was suddenly tripping on acid and it was not cool. Then again, drugs are never cool. Say no and all that. Of course, that was not helping me at the moment.

 

Frodo POV

Nikki had been poisoned!

"The Elves can help her," Aragorn assured us as he lifted her into his arms. "But we must hurry."

 

As we crossed over into the tree line, I immediately felt something in my head. It felt similar to a headache, but I couldn't feel any pain. And then the whispers started.

I stirred and Aragorn noticed.

"What is it?" he asked, arms tightening around me.

"I don't know," I murmured. "I think…" Okay, shot in the dark, but that was apparently everything in my life now. I closed my eyes and thought, Lady Galadriel?

Welcome to Lothlorien, child. I have been waiting for you…

"Nicolette?" Aragorn's sharp voice jerked me out of my trance. We had stopped and he had set me on my feet. His hands were on my shoulders, his face creased in worry.

"Sorry," I murmured. "I… I wandered off for a bit."

His fingers traced my jawline. "Are you alright?" His mouth thinned. "You're shaking." His hands fell to mine and clutched them. "Nicolette…Tell me what is wrong."

I wanted so badly to confide in him, but I didn't know where to start. I didn't know if I should tell him. I squeezed his hands and tried to reassure him with a smile. "I'm fine. It's just my shoulder."

His grey eyes told me that he didn't believe me, but he made no objections. He merely took my lie with a small smile of his own and lifted me back into his arms. "The Elves will heal you. You will be safe and sound."

"Stay close, young Hobbits," Gimli whispered. "They say an evil sorceress lives in these woods. An Elf witch of terrible power. All who look upon her fall under her spell."

Frodo suddenly jumped and looked wildly around.

"And are never seen again."

"Frodo?" Sam murmured.

"Well," Gimli continued. "Here's one Dwarf she won't ensnare so easily. I have the eyes of a hawk and ears of a fox…ooh!"

I was suddenly looking directly down the shaft of an arrow. I glared at the Dwarf. "Really? Ears of a fox?"

"A Dwarf breathes so loud, we could have shot him in the dark." The hottest Elf I had ever seen stepped forward. I actually felt my ovaries explode.

"Holy Darken Rahl, Batman," I gasped.

His blue-grey eyes found my silver ones and he smiled. "Welcome, fair lady. I am Haldir, captain of the Galadhrim. You are expected."

 

Everything was blue and silver and so very beautiful and ethereal. I stared around in wide-eyed, open-mouthed awe. I even had tears in my eyes. It was just so damn beautiful! We walked up a staircase that had grown out of a tree and into the canopy.

Aragorn stood behind me, hands resting on my shoulders in case I would faint or some equally embarrassing Disney-princess crap. I looked up at him and he squeezed my shoulders briefly to reassure me. I smiled wanly and touched his fingertips with my own.

A pure white light appeared at the top of the dais we stood at and two figures walked down to us. Lord Celeborn and Lady Galadriel. All nine of us let out small gasps at how beautiful the lady was. Cate Blanchett was a gorgeous woman- no doubt about it- but not even she could have pulled off the absolute beauty of the real thing.

Lord Celeborn looked at us with deep eyes. "Nine that are here, yet ten there were that set out from Rivendell. Tell me; where is Gandalf? I much desire to speak with him."

"Gandalf the Grey did not pass through the borders of this land," Galadriel answered. Her eyes went wide. "He has fallen into shadow!"

"He was taken by both shadow and flame," Legolas said. "A Balrog of Morgoth. For we went needlessly into the darkness of Moria."

"Needless were not the doings of Gandalf the Grey," Galadriel replied. "We do not yet know his full purpose." She looked at Gimli. "Do not let the darkness of Khazad-Dum fill your heart, Gimli, son of Gloin. For world is full of peril and love is now mingled with grief."

"What now becomes of this Fellowship?" Celeborn asked.

"The quest stands upon the edge of a knife. Stray but a little and it will fail to the ruin of all." Her powerful blue eyes swept over each of the Company. "Yet hope remains while the Company is true. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Go now and rest for you are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you will sleep in peace."

It was suddenly very hard to stand. I staggered to the side and Aragorn caught me. "Nicolette?"

"My head…" I whispered and then everything went dark.


	18. Aelindora

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hey ya'll. so this is where i introduce my friend's OC. Aelindora is the younger sister of Arathorn son of Arador. She is aunt and godmother to Aragorn. as a young woman, she was a Seer that protected the Northern Kingdom.  
> i'm trying to convince her to post the story here on AO3 so fingers crossed!

When Nicolette staggered, I caught her to steady her. But her legs had failed her and she collapsed in my arms. "Nicolette?" I called, lowering her to the ground.

"My head…" she whimpered. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she went limp in my arms.

"What ails the child?" Celeborn asked, stepping forward to inspect her.

"She was struck with an Orc arrow," Legolas replied. "And I fear she was bitten in the same area, as well."

"Can you save her?" Pippin fretted, holding Grimm in his arms. The cat stared at his mistress with wide amber eyes, his pupils narrow slits.

Lord Celeborn touched Nicolette's fevered brow and nodded. "It is possible." He straightened. "Follow me, Ranger."

I lifted Nicolette into my arms and followed after him while Lady Galadriel assured the others that Nicolette would be fine and bid Haldir to show them to lodgings. Lord Celeborn led me to the Houses of Healing where he called healers together and bade me set the girl on a cot. Nicolette moaned as I set her down as gently as I possibly could. She started thrashing around and I had to pin her wrists down so that she would not hit any of the healers.

"How long ago was she struck?" Lord Celeborn asked.

"Several hours now," I replied. "We ran as fast as we could from Moria…"

"Say no more, son of Arathorn," he said, patting my shoulder. "Come; the healers shall look after your friend."

"I cannot leave her," I said obstinately.

His deep silver eyes watched me. "You require food and rest." He looked to Nicolette as she cried out and started kicking. "You should not see this," he added softly.

"I will not leave her," I decided.

Lord Celeborn's mouth twitched into what I thought was a smile, but it could also have been a trick of the light. He inclined his head and left. I turned back to Nicolette and helped hold her down as the healers cut away her vest and shirt. I adverted my eyes, but caught a glimpse of the red scraps of cloth binding her breasts under the thin chemise shirt.

Nicolette screamed, her back arching off the bed and her arms flailing blindly. I nearly had to throw myself across her to hold her down again. The healers began to apply the athelas to her shoulder and she groaned loudly.

"Hold on, Nicolette," I whispered. "You must be strong. You are strong."

 

When I woke up again, an angel was leaning over me. I panicked; I didn't want to die! Then I blinked and saw that it was Galadriel.

"Peace, dear one," she was saying, brushing my hair away from my face. "It will be a while yet before your body is able to move. You have been sleeping for a day and a night. It is nearing the afternoon now."

Mrow!

Grimm leapt up onto my bed and rubbed against me. I smiled and even that action was an effort. "Hey, baby. Did I scare you?" He purred thunderously and curled up beside my head.

"He has been waiting diligently by your side," Galadriel said with a smile. "And your companions have been in and out in threes."

I blinked slowly. "Are they still here?"

"Yes. I shall call them." She rose from the chair and left my line of sight.

Grimm's sandpaper tongue drew across my ear and I smiled. "What a trip, baby. I had tea with Bab Marley and sang with the Beatles."

Meow.

"Nikki?" Gimli padded forward with Merry and Boromir.

I smiled, the feeling now returning to my body. "Hey guys. Be honest; I look like Hell, don't I?"

"Ah, just a brushing of yer hair and a new dress; you'll be right as rain," Gimli chuckled.

"Where is everyone else?"

"Wondering at the forest," Boromir replied. "But I think a certain Ranger is closer than you think."

His words sent a thrill through me and I shivered delicately. "Can you find him? I…I wanna talk to him." Boromir nodded and left, leaving me with Merry and Gimli. "Can you help me sit up?" They did so, propping me up with pillows and Grimm curled up in my lap. Merry grabbed a hairbrush and started brushing my hair back.

 

Aragorn POV

She was still alive.

This statement could have been for Nicolette, but it was not. It was for a woman who had raised me since birth. I had not seen her since my mother's death several years ago. After Gilraen had passed, my aunt left Rivendell and came to Lothlorien for the remainder of her winter years. To be honest, I should not be so surprised that still lived.

I found her little house just a short walk from the Houses of Healing. She was out in her front garden, picking herbs and watering stalks. As ever, she was dressed in red, black and dark brown. Her wild hair was pulled up and bound by a faded red scarf that had once belonged to my father. Her face was wrinkled, but she was still the woman I loved.

"Aunt."

She turned around at my soft call. Her amber eyes filled with tears and she dropped her basket. "Aragorn." She lifted the hem of her skirt and ran into my arms. I held her tightly, burying my face in her iron grey curls. She murmured praise to the Valar as she kissed my cheeks. "Oh, my darling! I have missed you!"

I pulled back and looked into her eyes. "Aunt, I need your guidance."

She blinked. "You do not often seek my advice, Elessar. Tell me your troubles."

I shook my head. "You know the Ring of Power has been found."

"Yes. I also know that it crossed into these borders. I know you and others seek to destroy it."

"There is a member of the Company," I continued slowly, sitting down on the garden bench. "A woman."

Her eyes lit up and that mischievous smile I knew so well lifted her weathered lips. "Aha! And what is this great lady's name?"

"Nicolette Meadows."

"Hmm. An unusual name. But pretty nonetheless."

"She is an unusual girl," I admitted. "She comes from another world; says that she wished upon a shooting star during a blue moon."

My aunt was silent for a long while. "A Blue Moon…" she finally whispered. "At last." She shook herself faintly. "And you have feelings for her?"

"It is foolish of me, I know," I said. "When this quest is over- for good or ill- she will return to her family. And this quest should take precedence, but every time I look at her my chest hurts and I feel like I can conquer a thousand Orcs just for her. And when she was struck in Moria…"

My aunt cupped my face in her hands. "Aragorn, my darling nephew! Such feelings go unlooked for all the time! Your father never expected to fall in love with your mother; it was but another hunt for Orcs when he stumbled across her. I have told you this story."

I nodded. "But I have a duty…"

"A duty to your heart, my love," she told me. "If you truly care for her, tell her."

"And if she does not feel the same? I do not wish for another Arwen."

She snorted. "Arwen was an impatient princess who expected everything to be placed before her on a silver platter. And not every woman is like her. It seems to me that this Nicolette Meadows has travelled far with you, through danger and death. Such a woman, I deem, is worthy of your affections. And I have yet to meet her."

"Aragorn?"

I turned to see Boromir there. "Yes?"

"Nikki has awakened. She wishes to speak to you."

I looked at my aunt, who waved me off. "Go on, darling. Go to your woman."

 

I smiled happily when Aragorn walked in. His grey eyes locked with my brown ones and he seemed to hurry to my bedside. Or I was probably just imagining that. God, stupid hormones! "Hey," I greeted. Ugh, hey? How lame could I get? Well, I could have said 'yo'. Thankfully I wasn't that far gone out of my mind.

Aragorn opened his mouth and hesitated. "I… It is well that you have woken." Over his shoulder I saw Gimli roll his eyes.

"I didn't miss anything important, did I?" I asked.

"No," he assured me.

"For the love of Ulmo! I know I taught you better than just pleasantries when speaking to a woman, Aragorn!" An old woman with wild grey hair and sharp amber eyes bustled forward. She shooed Merry from my other side and began to examine me, looking into my eyes and feeling my pulse. "Honestly, life in the wild as dulled your romantic sensibilities."

"Aunt," Aragorn all but whined to the woman.

Saying what now?

"You have an aunt?" I exclaimed. Okay, that was so not in the books!

Aragorn sighed. "Aelindora, my father's sister."

I looked at the woman. "Does that technically make you a princess?"

She laughed. "Never! I may be a descendant of Isildur, but my calling is a healer, not a leader. So the throne is still my nephews'."

"Aunt," Aragorn said again, his voice strained.

Aelindora tittered at him. "Oh darling, lighten up!" She poked my shoulder and hummed through her nose when I yelped. "Should be healed up by Midwinter. And then you can go on your merry way back to slicing your way through Orcs and goblins and what other foul things working for Sauron nowadays."


	19. Aeilen Duinn

Aelindora could have been from home.

No joke, she would have fit perfectly in Montana! I know Gran would have loved her and the Triplets. She talked like a modern woman, walked with pride and purpose… Although that could have been the fact that she was a princess.

You know, technically.

"Alright, girly; stand up and let's have a look at you."

Wincing slightly, I slid off the bed and carefully stood. No dizziness and my shoulder only twinged a bit.

"Try lifting your arm in front of you. Good. Now to the side. Behind? Well… A few more days and you should be able to fire a bow again. But I would insist that you keep fighting and other, eh, strenuous activities to a minimum for at least a month."

"Aunt!" Aragorn groaned.

I laughed. "Grandma would love you, Aelindora!"

"I think I should like to visit your world," Aelindora said. "From what you've said, it sounds much more diverse and exciting." She started pulling out proper clothes for me to wear instead of the medieval hospital gown, which was pretty itchy. "Now, there's a feast tonight to properly welcome the Fellowship into Caras Galadhon. Which means…" She turned around, her skirts and bangles twirling, as she faced us again. "I am going to pamper this little princess. Shoo, nephew! She's in capable hands."

Aragorn smiled indulgently at his aunt before turning to me. "I will see you at the feast."

I smiled up at him. "See you there."

He touched my arm briefly before leaving.

 

The gown Aelindora gave me was so magnificent. It felt like blasphemy for me to even look at it, let alone wear it. Elf handmaids gave me the most awesome bath anyone ever could receive; scrubbing my skin completely free of the dirt, grim and blood that had accumulated there then massaging sweet-smelling oils on me that reminded of my favorite Bath & Body Works; Twilight Woods.

Grimm was given the special VIP treatment, too. His fur was sleek and shiny again and he ate fish from a silver platter. No joke, it was a full on silver platter. He was purring like Ferrari.

I hummed a well contented sigh as long fingers preceded a brush through my hair. Then I felt really bad. Gandalf had just 'died' and I was being pampered. Like, I know he would come back as a White Wizard, but I still felt guilty.

"Do not be sad, child." It was Galadriel who was brushing my hair. "And do not feel guilt."

I blushed. "It's weird. Knowing he won't be there anymore." Or whatever.

"Death is but a journey for us all," Galadriel said. "Some sooner than others."

 

Aragorn POV

The area where the feast was taking place had been decorated with lanterns and streamers. The Hobbits ate and drank merrily along with Gimli. Legolas was talking with Haldir and his brothers while Boromir sat alone, pushing his food around his plate. I sat nearby, watching the proceedings. Lady Galadriel and Lord Celeborn sat in the middle of the head table, smiling indulgently at the Hobbits.

It was Boromir who noticed her first. He did a double-take before hastily getting to his feet. Gimli and I followed his eyes and I could not deny that my heart beat a little faster. Aelindora wore her usual dark red and black dress, though she had tamed her hair into a net and forewent her healer's belt and various oddities she kept about her person.

But it was Nicolette who commanded my- our- attention. The dress she wore was of pale cream silk with a cord of light gold and silver crisscrossing under her breasts before coming to knot at her waist. The open drape sleeves were of pure white sheer that fell to the ground. The material was bunched up at the shoulders and wrapped around her chest, accentuating her rather ample chest. Not that I paid any attention to that area! Of course not. Her hair was combed and hung loose around her in delicate waves. The corners of her hairline had been pulled back and braided and twisted into an Elvish style with a silver ribbon woven through it and strings of tiny water crystals hanging down her back, looking lovely against her chestnut colored hair.

"Nikki, you look beautiful!" Pippin shouted.

"Radiant!" Merry put in.

"Gorgeous!" Sam supplied.

"Stunning," Gimli added. "Absolutely stunning!"

Aunt looked extremely proud of herself as she helped Nicolette to the head table. I shook myself and made to go to her side, but Boromir beat me to it. He offered Nicolette his arm and she accepted it with a smile and I could see her colored lips thank him. Something within me stung and I fought to keep my expression neutral.

Aelindora moved to my side while Boromir and Nicolette sat down. "Lovely night, isn't it?" she commented with a sly wink.

I smiled indulgently at her and pulled out her chair for her to sit. "Yes, aunt."

She smiled knowingly and patted my cheek, her eyes turning melancholy. "You look like your father with each passing year."

I smiled gently and grasped her hand. "And you. How have you fared?"

She shrugged. "I am an old woman, darling. Even by our people's standards. My golden years are behind me, my winter years fleeting."

It pained me to hear her talk this way. She was the only family I had left. I looked down at her hand in mine and I gently traced each wrinkle and line there. "Will you sail?"

She chuckled. "I think not. Not while there is still hope left here." She cupped my stubble lined cheek and kissed it. "My Estel. My king."

"My strength," I murmured, kissing her palm.

"Ah, you cannot say that anymore, nephew," Aelindora teased lightly, amber eyes dancing. "You have a certain young lady to be your strength now."

I grimaced slightly and looked over my shoulder at Nicolette. She was sipping the Elven wine cautiously, listening to a story Frodo was telling of a character called Tom Bombadil and his fair wife Goldberry. Haldir came to her and spoke softly in her ear. She stood up and took his offered hand to be led to where some Elves were dancing.

"Oh, you look like Arathorn when Mallor danced with Gilraen!" Aunt cackled. "But one cannot blame Haldir; Nikki is quite beautiful tonight. I rather out did myself, I think. But try and not strike our dear Marchwarden."

"Aunt, please," I sighed, turning back to her. "Nicolette is at perfect liberty to dance with anyone she so chooses."

"Hmm," Aelindora hummed. "And if she were to ask you?"

"Then I would be honored to oblige her."

"Darling, take it from an old woman; tell her your feelings now. I assure you she will reciprocate them."

I glanced back at Nicolette to see that she now danced with Boromir. And the sting returned.

 

I looked past Boromir over at Aragorn and Aelindora. They were withdrawn from the party, sitting close together and speaking in hushed tones. It was a tender sight. "What do you know of Aelindora?" I asked the Gondorian as he spun me around.

"She is famous in our histories," Boromir said. "She was gifted the Sight by the Valar when she was still in her mother's womb. The Dúnedain prospered for a time in her youth. But as she matured, her Sight waned." He hesitated and then whispered sheepishly. "Some believe she never saw the attack on the Northern kingdom. The attack that slew her brother."

"Aragorn's father." She must have felt terrible. She probably still does.

The current dance ended and I went back to my seat. I found it curious that I was better at dancing than I had been. True, I did stumble a few times on the ridicules long hem of my gown. Maybe my training also affected the way I moved now. I didn't feel any graceful. But maybe it had crept up on me like Grimm stalking a bird. As if called by my thoughts alone, my cat leapt into my lap and sniffed at the food on the table. "No, sweetheart," I lightly scolded, scratching his chin. "You have a saucer down there."

An Elf called for silence and I looked up to see Galadriel smiling at Aelindora, who inclined her head to the Elf Queen. Aragorn helped her to stand and move to a chair amongst the musicians.

"A song of long ago," the old woman said. "A song of loss, for we have all felt such a sting." Her eyes fell onto the Fellowship. "All our hopes now lie with nine brave souls."

No pressure or anything, right?

Aragorn rested his head on his aunt's lap like a little boy and closed his eyes. Aelindora stroked his hair gently and began to sing.

Gura mise tha fo éislean,

Moch 's a' mhadainn is mi 'g éirigh,

Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat,

Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì,

Hì ri bhò hò rionn o ho,

Ailein duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat.

Ma 's e cluasag dhut a' ghainneamh,

Ma 's e leabaidh dhut an fheamainn,

Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat,

Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì,

Hì ri bhò hò rionn o ho,

Ailein duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat.

Ma 's e 'n t-iasg do choinnlean geala,

Ma 's e na ròin do luchd-faire,

Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat,

Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì,

Hì ri bhò hò rionn o ho,

Ailein duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat.

Dh'òlainn deoch ge boil le càch e,

De dh'fhuil do choim 's tu 'n déidh do bhathadh,

Ò hì shiùbhlainn leat,

Hì ri bhò hò ru bhì,

Hì ri bhò hò rionn o ho,

Ailein duinn, ò hì shiùbhlainn leat.


	20. This Shadow Holds No Sway

I have absolutely no idea how they found out.

I know I never said anything.

So how the Hell did they find out?!

I had been sleeping in the spare bed in Aelindora's little hut, Grimm curled up on my pillow with his tail covering his nose. Suddenly the door banged open and I was jerked out of a happy Cinderella-esque dream.

"Happy Birthday!"

Grimm screeched and bolted under the bed, hissing and spitting unhappily. I opened my eyes and hissed as the morning light reacted badly with my hangover. Stupid Elf wine. I burrowed under my pillow and blankets, curling into the fetal position.

"Nikki, are you unwell?" Pippin asked, coming to her bedside.

"Hung over."

"What'd she say?" Gimli asked loudly and I groaned in protest.

"Out of the way, out of the way," Aelindora ordered, bustling into the room with a tea tray. She still wore her nightgown under a bright red robe and her hair like a grey thicket for birds to nest in. "Honestly, men! Always barging in, making noise, upending my flower pots…"

"Sorry," Sam muttered, going beet red.

"Come now, my girl," Aelindora sighed, fixing a cup for me. "Drink it all and you'll feel better within the hour."

I crawled out of the sheets and sipped the tea. Then stuck my tongue out and made a cartoonish noise. "Is that alfalfa?"

"My secret blend," the old woman said. "Tastes like horse shite, I'll admit, but it gets the job done. Come on, dearie, drink up. And you lot can wait outside like civilized people! Go on! Shoo! Aragorn, your mother would be appalled."

I caught Aragorn's smile as he turned to follow the others back outside and I returned it half-heartedly. Aelindora brought a bowl of broth for me and a saucer of trout and cream for Grimm. My cat was getting pampered in this place. As I ate, Aelindora drew a bath of hot water and vanilla and honey scented soap.

"So a birthday," Aelindora said as she scrubbed my back. "How old are you now, dear?"

"Twenty-three," I responded softly. I had been in Middle-Earth for months. What if I never got home? I might never see my brother again or my grandparents. My sweet nieces would grow up without an aunt.

"There is always hope, young one," Aelindora said, as if reading my thoughts. "Now come! Let's get you dressed so the boys can wish you well properly."

Dressed in a simple blue dress with my russet hair loose and Grimm around my shoulders, I walked out into the front yard. The rest of the Fellowship was sitting among the herbs, flowers and bushes. The Hobbits rushed me as soon as I stepped out, wishing me a Happy Birthday.

"And who told you that?" I demanded.

"Based off the information you had already given, I counted the days and made the discovery myself," Legolas responded.

Bloody smart Elves.

"We all made you presents!" Merry announced, holding out a poorly wrapped box. Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Gimli held out similar packages.

I smiled and sighed. "Alright, alright! But there had better be cake somewhere."

The Hobbits had given books that one would receive in the Shire. Frodo gave me a book on the language of flowers, Sam a book about gardening, Merry a tin of candied chestnuts and Pippin a scarf embroidered with tiny blue roses.

Legolas gave me a new quiver of arrows fletched with swan feathers while Gimli gave me a hair bead that constituted as friendship bestowed, he told everyone as he fixed it into my hair, only upon the most trustworthy of souls. Very few outside the Dwarven families had received such a thing. I hugged Gimli tightly and kissed his forehead, happy that he held me in high regard.

"Ye'll be welcomed into any Dwarf home now, lassie," Gimli said, bright red in the face. "Feasts will be held in your honor in Ered Luin, Erebor and the Iron Hills."

"My gift now," Boromir said. His gift was a leather and bronze vambrace with the tree of Gondor embossed on the end. "And what of your gift, Aragorn? Have you nothing for our fair companion?"

I looked up at Aragorn, not expectantly, but to see his reaction to Boromir's words which had been teasing with an underlay of harshness. If Aragorn was angered, he didn't show it. His grey eyes met mine and he nodded. "I do have a gift," he said softly. He stood and held a hand out to me. "If you will permit me?"

With butterflies in my stomach, I took his hand and he led me deeper into Lothlorien.

 

Aragorn POV

I know not why I was taking her to my mother's house. It just seemed the right thing to do. I had been there ever since Gilraen had died all those years ago.

"Where are we?" Nicolette asked as we came to a stop outside the house.

I opened the ivy covered gate with one hand and said, "My mother's house."

Nicolette's surprise showed on her face, but she said nothing and I was grateful for I had no other explanations. I led the way up the front path, pausing at the closed door. I hesitated, gathering my thoughts and endeavoring not to be swept up by the past. The last time I had been here, it was to say my final farewell to my beloved mother.

At last, I found the will to push open the door and enter the house. Aelindora kept the place as fresh as possible. It seemed as if someone still lived here. I half expected Gilraen to sweep around the corner and beam happily at me, calling my name.

 

He had brought me to his mom's house.

Sweet Nutella, this could get awkward. And the somber look on Aragorn's face wasn't exactly giving me happy vibes.

"So…your mom," I said at length. "Uh… What's she like?" I could not, for the life of me, remember anything about his mother.

"She was a very kind individual."

Was.

Jesus Christ, Nikki! You should've known that!

"Um… When did she…?" Okay, no. Stopping that conversation!

"It has only been but twelve years."

Wow. I was such an idiot. I hated myself. Why was I here?!

"Why did you bring me here?"

Aragorn was quiet for a moment as we walked from room to room. It wasn't until we came to a glass door that led out to a beautiful back garden that he replied quietly, "I do not know."

We walked outside, under the shade of globe willows. Across a small stream was a memorial of a young woman carved out of stone in a bright patch of sunlight. Silver and gold flowers grew around the statue and climbed up the frozen skirt and settled into the lap.

Aragorn left my side and crossed the stream using small stepping stones and stopped before his mother. "She came to live here after I joined the Rangers. She had wanted to be the one to tell me of my true heritage, but she became ill and the duty fell to Lord Elrond. I was told of my ancestors; of Isildur. And I remember feeling so…disgusted that I might share the same fate he did."

I stared at him, still under the shade of the willows.

"I fear the power of the Ring, Nicolette," he admitted in a whisper so faint I nearly missed it. "I fear what will become if Sauron wins. And what will become of the Fellowship if I fail you?"

Oh, Hell to the no. I was not going to let this hunk of illegal smexy turn to doubt.

"Why do you fear the past?" I asked, stepping from the shadows and slowly crossing over to him. "You are Isildur's heir. Not Isildur himself. You are not bound to his fate."

"The same blood flows through my veins," he whispered. He turned to face me with hooded eyes. "The same weakness."

I stopped in front of him, staring up into his grey eyes. "Your time will come," I murmured. "You will face the same evil and you will overcome it." I knew this, not because I had read the books and seen the movies, but because I believed in Aragorn son of Arathorn as a person. I would follow this man to Hell and back, even if the quest were a hopeless one.

I took his hands in mine carefully and pressed them to my heart. "This Shadow holds no sway. Not over you, not over me. We will live to see these days renewed."

He sighed through his nose. His eyes closed and he pressed his forehead to mine. "You have such faith in me," he whispered.

I smiled at him. "Because I know you could never let those who love you down."

His eyes opened and he stared at me. "Love?"

Screech! Rewind! "Uh… Yeah," I said awkwardly, pulling back a little, but his hands stopped me from going too far. "The Hobbits love you, Legolas loves you and so does Gimli."

"And Boromir?" Was he teasing me?

"Well, technically, you are his king. He's supposed to love you, right?"

His fingers began to lace with mine. "And you?"

Oh Nutella. Okay, you can do this Nikki. There's no denying the sexual tension you've been feeling lately for him.

Sometimes I really hated my brain.

"I would follow you anywhere," I whispered.

His grey eyes bore into my brown ones. His head tilted to the side an inch and I swear I saw his lips twitch towards mine. My breath hitched and began to close my eyes. But then Aragorn pulled away and stepped back.

"You should get some rest for tomorrow," he said softly before leaving.

I stood there in shock.

Did that seriously just happen?

"Son of a…" I muttered under my breath, raking a hand through my hair. Gods, he probably thinks I'm some easy chick like Emma Stone!

Maybe he's stringing you along, a voice in my head whispered as I left the house and made to return to the rest of the Fellowship.

No way! Aragorn was too nice to do that.

But what about Arwen? They had broken up after he left her to join the Rangers. What if something else happened to turn her so cold towards him?

Argh! Damn hormones! I kicked at the dirt and crossed my arms with a huff.

"Nikki?" Aelindora limped around a tree. "Nikki, are you alright?"

Did she know about me and her nephew? "I'm good," I lied. "Just rethinking some priorities."

She blinked. "Oh. Why don't you come with me, dear? I have something to show you."


	21. The Vision

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> okay so mentions of non-con/rape. i got really dark for this one.

Aelindora led me into a deep part of the forest. There were no houses or even any Elves around. The last Elf I had seen had been a ghostly-eyed man with midnight black hair and a wiry scar across his face. But that had been several minutes ago. This part of Lothlorien felt wild and I suddenly recalled Gimli's words of a witch and people never being seen again.

"So where are we going?" I asked finally as goosebumps began to lift on my arms.

"You will see," the Seer said elusively.

I guess vagueness runs in the family.

Suddenly Aelindora turned to the right, off the path. I hesitated, watching her crimson dress grow dimmer under the tightly knitted tree canopy. If this was a movie, people would be screaming at me to run back to the Hobbits.

But, like every other dumb chick in this situation, I followed my guide.

It took several minutes until we reached our destination. The trees grew so thick and close together, their tops blocked out any light. Aelindora obviously knew where she was going and climbed over the tree roots like an expert, but I tripped and stumbled every which way until a red light suddenly burst forth a few feet in front of me.

I stopped in my tracks as my eyes took a moment to adjust to the new light. Once they had, I found myself in a small circular clearing with a lone spring trickling into a stone basin. For one wild moment, I thought that this was Galadriel's Mirror. But then common sense caught up with me and I realized that this was where Aelindora did her Seer magic stuff.

"Why am I here?" I asked, really starting to freak out.

Aelindora stood by the spring, the red light casting a bloody hue to the left side of her face. "I was told that you have three futures, Nicolette Meadows. And for one so young to have multiple futures such as yourself is…unorthodox."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that, at this very moment in your life, you will make one choice and that one choice will determine which future will be yours for the rest of your life. I can show you one future."

I hesitated for a long moment. Knowing the future was dangerous; just look at me already knowing what will happen in a few short days. In a few months. In two God damned years! But knowing my future meant that I could selfishly manipulate the futures of my friends to make sure I either reached or bolted from the future I was being presented with.

"This is a bad idea," I said slowly, still not moving.

"There are risks, yes," Aelindora agreed. "But this is also a test to see if you are worthy of my nephew's affections."

Wow.

"Uh, okay," I said, putting my hands on my hips. "What? I don't know what you're seeing, but Aragorn doesn't feel anything…like that…for me. I can refer you to the last chapter for that."

Her amber eyes examined me closely. "I am his aunt, dear. I helped raise him. I know his heart and you have it." She gestured to the spring. "Will you drink?"

Risk my sanity over a guy? "God, when did this become a teen drama?" I muttered, striding to the spring and kneeling there. I eyed the water for a second before scooping some up and drinking.

"Lie down," Aelindora said softly. "It will take effect quickly."

I settled down onto the spongy grass and my limbs suddenly felt very heavy. "I'm not gonna trip out again, am I?"

"Close your eyes." Her voice sounded muffled. "Let the vision take you…"

This was such a bad idea.

 

There were furs beneath her bare skin. But instead of feeling soft and mildly sensual, it burned and chaffed her. Nikki opened her eyes and found that she was in a black room lavishly decorated with black, silver and very dark red. She tried to raise her head, but the movement was so painful, it resounded through her body and she cried out in agony.

Her skin burned everywhere!

There was soft hiss behind her that then turned into someone saying, "Shh." A large hand touched her shoulder, stinging, and from there she saw a gold band on a right hand.

It was the Ring.

"The pain will cease, my pet." Scalding lips brushed her cheek. "Shall I hold you until it does?"

Nikki screamed as trunk-like arms closed around her and a hot body pressed against her back. This wasn't happening!

This couldn't be her future!

"Darling Nikki," the voice cooed, holding her like a lover might. "Just submit to me. Just submit to me and I will make you queen of Middle-Earth. I will end your suffering and give you an eternity of pleasure."

It's not real! This isn't real! She squeezed her eyes shut.

Wake up! Wake up, Nikki!

He made an impatient noise that blew across her neck. "This is not a dream, Nicolette! Why can you not accept that this is your reality now? I am your reality!" He raised himself above her, looking down at her with burning eyes. "I am your future."

"NO!"

"Look at me!"

Her eyes flew open and she saw the face of a handsomely cruel man with long, silky black hair, pointed features and sensual lips. But this was a monster; a vessel pumped full of evil and greed.

Sauron grinned at her, a hand stroking her cheekbone. The skin turned red, but she didn't scream, though a tear slid from her eye and evaporated against his finger. "When you submit to me, my touch will no longer harm you. My lips will not cause your fair skin to blister." He rolled his hips against hers, the furs saving her from further pain. "My seed would no longer cause you to be broken inside."

Gods save me…

 

She walked slowly to the throne room, her legs shaky under the weight of the black velvet gown and the blisters between her legs. The Witch-King escorted her, his spiked helm as dangerous and as frightening as the movies. Nikki stopped just outside the doors, leaning against the wall for support as tiny beads of sweat rolled down her face.

"He is waiting," Angmar warned.

"He did this to me, he can wait a moment more," she muttered, panting slightly.

Angmar touched a hand to her blistered neck and the cold soothed her. "I can do no more, my lady. He would punish us both."

Nikki looked at the ornate ring on his hand. "So you are a slave. Never thought I'd pity a Nazgul."

"Never thought I would pity a girl," Angmar replied with the hint of a smile in his voice.

The doors opened and they walked inside. Sauron sat at his throne, lounging in it with enough bravado and smugness to make Joffrey Baratheon cry. At his feet lay a dirty, bloodied man dressed in torn rags.

"Ah, there is my sweet prize!" Sauron said, gesturing to Nikki as she walked forward with her head thrown back in defiance. "Dressed like the queen I will someday make her. If only she would kneel."

"I will not kneel to likes of you," Nikki growled.

The Dark Lord grinned. "I admire your fire, Nicolette Meadows. I can't wait to quench it."

"And I can't wait to see what he will do to you."

"He?" Sauron asked curiously.

Nikki's smile was as sadistic as his. "Your Master."

There was a ripple effect throughout the room. Sauron's grin dropped.

"Did you really think that I was that ignorant of your histories?" Nikki jeered, clasping her hands together. "I don't think Melkor would be very amused to find out you have been playing King of the World while he was rotting in the Void…"

"Silence!" Sauron roared, slamming his fist down on the arm of his throne. "Be silent, girl, or I swear I will kill your little king!"

Nikki paused, looking down at the man unconscious on the floor. He lay face down away from her. She knelt down carefully beside him, knowing who he was, but frightened to see his face. She touched his shoulder and rolled him over into her lap.

"Aragorn…"

His eyes fluttered open and he struggled to see her. "Nicolette…." He raised a broken hand and touched her chin. "You look terrible."

Nikki laughed, despite the tears welling in her eyes. "I'm a right sight prettier than you, Ranger."

He tried to smile, his lips cracking. "I cannot disagree."

Nikki lowered her head and kissed him, ignoring the taste of blood and filth.

"And there is your weakness," Sauron hissed, coming down from his dark throne and standing by her. He knelt down and grabbed a handful of her hair, jerking her up until they were cheek to cheek. "Is she not a sight, Elessar? Ah, but you have not seen her bare. Her skin is as pale as the moon."

Aragorn gritted his teeth and lunged at him. "Get away from her!"

Sauron stood out of the way, taking Nikki with him and laughing as Aragorn fell on his face. "Look at the little king! Fighting for his princess." He threw Nikki down and she cracked her head on the floor. "Go on then, princess. Kiss your sweet king."

Nikki turned her head towards Aragorn and he to her. They lay there, hands clasping and smiling at one another as if they weren't surrounded by enemies and about to suffer for the rest of their lives.

 

Aelindora POV

I watched the child sink into the vision. I could only pray to Ilúvatar that I was doing the right thing.


	22. Leaving Lothlorien

The morning the Fellowship was due to leave dawned with a cold light and left and eerie feeling in my chest. It most likely had a lot to do with the vision yesterday. I had woken up in my own bed screaming and the Evenstar freezing against my chest. Aelindora had come, enveloping me in her arms and apologizing in every language under the Sun. Then later Aragorn had come and seen me in a shocked silence, staring into the fireplace. I had burst into tears at the sight of him and ran back to my room where I ignored any calls of my name.

All in all, not one of my best moments.

But now we were leaving Lothlorien and I was determined to see that Frodo destroyed the Ring and Sauron was vanquished. That blasted vision would not come to be!

 

Aragorn POV

Nicolette now wore a rough spun green shirt bound by a small, brown leather corset. Her trousers were brown and very form-fitting and her dark boots made nary a sound as she joined the rest of us. Her hair was braided on the side and slung over her shoulder. And she was beautiful. A different beauty from the feast, but it still hurt to look at her. Yet I endured the pain and watched her until she caught my eye and the color in her cheeks dimmed.

I had done ill by her. She had pledged her loyalty and heart to me and I had left her without a word. I cared for her, deeply, but beyond that I was unsure of my feelings concerning fair Nicolette Meadows.

"Nikki!" Gimli boomed. "You look ready for travel, lass!"

"Ready and itching," she replied with a brittle smile. Her eyes were haunted and I cursed myself.

"Nicolette," I said to her. "May I have a word?"

 

It went against my better judgment to follow Aragorn a few yards from the rest of the Fellowship, but I did it anyway. Cuz I'm an idiot and a glutton for punishment!

"Nicolette," the Ranger began. "About yesterday…"

"I really don't want to talk about yesterday," I muttered.

"I apologize," he continued. "I left you when you pledged your loyalty to me and I realize that it was thoughtless of me."

The awkwardness of the situation coupled with my unease and lack of sleep made me snap, "Despite the popular opinion of this fictional world, I am not some delicate woman who needs the affections of men to survive. You don't want me romantically; fine. We'll stop cuddling at night. But don't think for one second that my current state has been brought on by rejection. I'm dealing with darker things, thank you very much, and I would appreciate it if we left these woods and pushed on with this quest."

As I went into total bitch mode, Aragorn's expression became shocked and then closed off. I didn't bother to let him speak when I was done and I stalked back to the boats and angrily tossed my bag into Legolas and Gimli's boat.

"Are you well, Nikki?" Boromir asked cautiously.

I sighed and closed my eyes. "Guys, no offense, but the next person to ask me that will get his heart ripped out via his throat."

The Company was arranged in this way: Aragorn, Frodo and Sam were in one boat; Boromir, Merry and Pippin in another: and in the third were Legolas, Gimli and me. The Elf and the Dwarf had become fast friends, to which I was grateful for. It would have sucked royal balls to be stuck in a boat with two quarreling races. In this last boat most of the goods and packs were stowed.

When all was ready Aragorn led us on a trial up the Silverlode. The current was swift and we went forward slowly. We turned a sharp bend in the river, and there, sailing proudly down the stream toward them, they saw a swan of great size. Two Elves clad in white steered it with black paddles. In the midst of the vessel sat Celeborn and behind him stood Galadriel and in her hand she held a harp and she sang. Sad and sweet was the sound of her voice in the cool clear air:

I sang of leaves, of leaves of gold, and leaves of gold there grew:

Of wind I sang, a wind there came and in the branches blew.

Beyond the Sun, beyond the Moon, the foam was on the Sea

And by the strand of Ilmarin there grew a golden Tree.

Beneath the stars of Ever-eve in Eldamar it shone,

In Eldamar beside the walls of Elven Tirion.

There long the golden leaves have grown upon the branching years,

While here beyond the Sundering Seas now fall the Elven-tears.

O Lórien! The Winter comes, the bare and leafless Day;

The leaves are falling in the stream, the River flows away.

O Lórien! Too long I have dwelt upon this Hither Shore

And in a fading crown have twined the golden elanor.

But if of ships I now should sing, what ship would come to me,

What ship would bear me ever across so wide a Sea?

Aragorn stayed his boat as the Swan-ship drew alongside. The Lady ended her song and greeted them. "We have come to bid our last farewell," she said, "and to speed you with blessings from our land."

"There is a parting feast which to be had here between the flowing waters that will bear you far from Lórien," said Celeborn.

The Swan passed on to the hythe, and we turned our boats and followed it. There in the last end of Egladil upon the green grass the parting feast was held and Aelindora was there, resting in a rocking chair that faced the grey dawn.

I stayed apart from the fellowship with Grimm resting in my arms as I fed him fish. I ate very little and spoke only in monosyllables. Merry and Pippin did their best to force a smile out of me, but my results were only half-hearted. I really did try to make an effort, but every time I neared happiness I was remind in some small way of the vision and my mood relapsed.

 

Legolas POV

It was obvious that Nikki was suffering. But her ailment was a mystery. At first I thought she was suffering from the Orc poison; perhaps a belated side effect? Or perhaps she did not want to leave Lothlorien. I myself felt a great weight upon my own heart as the time drew nearer that I would leave these trees. But then, as we were eating, I looked over at the girl and saw that her eyes were haunted. Like she had a dark secret that only she felt she could bear.

"Is she alright?" Pippin asked softly.

"She's fine," Aragorn said gruffly.

I looked over at him. "What did you talk about?"

The Ranger grimaced into his water glass. "Yesterday we went for a walk and…she said a few things. I left her alone and then…"

"I got ahold of her." Aelindora piped up on his other side.

Aragorn looked at his aunt. "What?"

"I showed our dear Nikki what she needed to know," Aelindora said softly. "However, I did not show her such things so that she would carry the knowledge on her own. She has eight strapping boys to help her along now, doesn't she?"

Any retort Aragorn would have given was lost as Galadriel stood and said, "Now it is time to drink the cup of farewell. Drink, Lord of the Galadhrim! And let not your heart be sad, though night must follow noon, and already our evening draweth nigh." Then she brought a cup to each of the company and bade them drink and farewell. But when they had drunk she commanded them to sit again on the grass and chairs were set for her and for Celeborn.

"We have drunk the cup of parting," she said, "and the shadows fall between us. But before you go, I have brought in my ship gifts which the Lord and Lady of the Galadhrim now offer you in memory of Lothlorien." Then she called to each in turn.

To Aragorn she gifted a sheath that had been made to fit his sword. It was overlaid with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought of silver and gold and on it were set in Elven-runes formed of many gems the name Andúril and the lineage of the sword. Then she lifted into her lap a great stone of a clear green, set in a silver brooch that was wrought in the likeness of an eagle with outspread wings; and as she held it up the gem flashed like the sun shining through the leaves of spring. "This stone I gave to my daughter Celebrian, and she to hers; and now it comes to you as a token of hope. In this hour take the name that was foretold for you, Elessar, the Elfstone of the house of Elendil!"

To Boromir she gave a belt of gold.

To Merry and Pippin she gave small silver belts, each with a clasp wrought like a golden flower.

And then the Golden Lady turned to Nikki. "I have thought long and hard of my gift to you, Nicolette Meadows. I have looked into my Mirror and have seen three separate futures for you. One is sad and terrible, but will only come to pass if the Enemy succeeds. I would save you from this possible future and I ask that you remain here in Lothlorien until the power to send you home is accessible."

It seemed to me that a shadow passed over Nikki's face. "I know what it is you've seen, my lady. Those horrors are also in my mind." She raised her head and her eyes were alight with the strong gleam of courage. "But for better or for worse, I won't leave my friends. I would be ashamed and cowardly and worry constantly for them. No, I will continue on, though I thank you for your council."

Galadriel bowed her head. "Then I pray that this shall aid you in your journey." And she brought forth a bow carved from a mallon tree and adorned with gold and bronze script. "This was the bow of my brother Angrod. It has already seen the defeat of one Dark Lord. Perhaps it will see the fall of another. In your hands."

Nikki accepted the bow with wide eyes. "My lady, I… I have no words. Thank you!"

"I have my own gift for you, child," Aelindora said. "But I would give it to you in private. Walk with me a while?" Nikki stood and helped the old woman to her feet and they moved down the bank and a ways, Aelindora bent towards the girl and saying words no Elf could hear.

 

"I find myself wondering if it was foolish of me to show you the things I did," Aelindora murmured softly.

I shook my head. "My answer would have been the same."

"This is a sting that will persist," Aelindora said. "And who knows what powers Sauron will possess if the Ring is returned to him."

"The Ring will never be with Sauron," I said forcefully, hating the vision that clogged my brain.

Aelindora was silent for a moment. "The two other futures Galadriel saw for you are happy ones. In one you return to your home land and marry a nice boy. However you will not have children."

"And the other?"

She was quiet for a moment more. "It is the path I wish most for you. You will marry, bear children and be beloved by all who know you." She reached into her skirts and pulled out a small parcel. "Open this when you feel alone and defeated. It will guide you."

I took it, noting how light it was. She kissed my cheek and we continued walking around the bank. "You said that you were testing me. To see if I was worthy of Aragorn."

"And you have passed magnificently, my dear child," Aelindora replied.

I grimaced. "I may have…fucked that up. Just now. I kinda told him to keep his feelings to himself."

"Lovers quarrel," she said dismissively. "You should have seen his father and mother."

I groaned. "Aelindora, I don't even know if I want to stay here! I have family back home. God, they must think I've been kidnapped or something! I can't pursue a relationship now; least of all to the bloody king to be!"

The old woman chuckled. "Child, we all have our destinies. Is it so absurd that yours entwines with Estel's?"

"Yes," I retorted fairly. "Yes, it is. It's absurd that I'm even in Arda, let alone having this conversation." I looked down at the bow in my hands and sighed. "I have Angrod's bow, for Christ's sake!"

Aelindora sighed. "In time, you will see, child. Here." She withdrew a small package from her shawl. "My gift to you, Nicolette Meadows. Only open it when you have truly lost your way."

I frowned. "How will I know?"

She tapped my nose. "Oh, you will know. Now come! Let us return to the others." She looped her arm through mine and we turned back around.

"There is one other thing I would ask of you," I said.

"Hmm?"

I bit my lip. "The Road ahead will be difficult. I… Would you please take care of Grimm for me? Especially since there is a chance I could be Sauron's next toy?"

Aelindora bowed her head. "I shall watch him. And when you see him next, he will be fat from all the fish and cream!"

"Thank you."

Well. That was one worry off my mind. And I knew Grimm would stay in Lothlorien rather than follow like he did when left behind in Rivendell. We returned to the Company just as Galadriel finished giving her gifts. Grimm leapt into my arms for one last cuddle before I handed him to Aelindora. She kissed my cheek and squeezed my hand before nodding over to Aragorn.

I sighed and walked up to him and carefully touched his arm. "I'm sorry."

He lightly tugged on a stray curl. "It is forgotten."

All at last was made ready. The Company took theirs places in the boats as before. Crying farewell, the Elves of Lórien with long grey poles thrust the boats out into the flowing stream and the rippling waters bore us slowly away.


End file.
